


A Thousand Worlds Between Us

by Skull_Bearer



Series: A Thousand Worlds [1]
Category: Venom (Comics), Venom (Movie 2018)
Genre: Accidents, Agony, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Amnesia, Asexuality, Attempted Lobotomy, CPS, Cannibalism, Canon-Typical Violence, Carnage - Freeform, Child Abusers getting eaten, Christmas Fluff, Comics/Movie Crossover, Cuddles, Depression, Eating Disorders, First Dates, Game Shows, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Ice Skating, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Lasher - Freeform, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Mental Institutions, Monsters, Nightmares, Omega Eddie Brock, Parenthood, Pet Names, Phage - Freeform, Relationship Negotiation, Social Anxiety, Symbabies, They are both under the tree because they're each others' best present, Unethical Experimentation, mistletoe kisses, scream
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-06
Updated: 2019-06-23
Packaged: 2019-08-19 19:59:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 27
Words: 22,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16541201
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skull_Bearer/pseuds/Skull_Bearer
Summary: A collection of Symbrock prompt fills from tumblr.#26- Symbabies 8, new friends.





	1. CPS AU

 

**[dogmatix](http://dogmatix.tumblr.com/) asked:**

**Venom prompt - Eddie decides he wants a career change, but still wants to help ppl. He'd also like an easier way to find bad ppl for Venom to munch on. After some deliberation, he decides to go into Child Protective Services.**

This is their favorite part.

Every officer had their nightmare situation. Losing a case, and seeing the children taken back by the last people who should be allowed near them. The poor children taking the stand, the prosecutor turning on them. The photos sent from the examining doctor.

But this, this is pretty bad too. Certainly on some people’s worst nightmares. The first time they walk into the house for a welfare check and they just  _know_. There’s something so utterly wrong, and the longer the child stays, the worse it’ll be.

It’s nothing quite clear at first, at least to a normal person. Someone without Venom’s nose for blood and Eddie’s sixth sense of suffering. The house is soaked in both, clinging to the little lace doilies over the backs of the chairs, the perfectly dusted framed photographs. A man and a woman. Always just two. No sign of a child.

According to the adoption records, little Jed Walker was adopted by the couple two years ago. There are no school admissions records though, no listing with the doctor.

And the neighbours have heard screams. Screams for months, maybe years, until a daughter came home from college and called CPS.

And CPS sent Eddie.

The front door was locked, but these idiots clearly believed no one would ever find the spare key under the flowerpot. They leave the key on the table, and checks upstairs. There’s a child’s bedroom, but it’s clearly never been used, and posters are decades out a date. A grown child’s bedroom, kept for paternal nostalgia. It smells of dust and lint up here, and Eddie closes their eyes, and follows their nose.

They go back down, run fingers over the ancient, faded wallpaper until they find the bump of a covered door. Venom wells from his shoulder and presses through the crack and-  _oh_. He knows that smell. He’s tasted it on countless worlds, the dying days before they were devoured by his species. 

The blood, the weeping desperation and despair.

_Eddie_ , Venom coils back inside him, shivers.  _A child, Eddie_.

“Yeah.” He fits his fingers into the shallow crack between the door and the frame. It takes Venom a moment to gather himself before claws emerge from their hands, tearing into the door and wrenching it it free. The damp wood cracks and pops, the lock hanging loose like a lost tooth.

“Hey.” Eddie calls. “You in there?”

There’s no sound, but it’s a particularly kind of not-sound, like a small child, holding their breath.

Eddie finds their torch. “It’s okay.” He keeps his voice low, but Venom coils around his vocal cords, turning into a heavy purr. “I’m here to get you out, Jed. I can call you Jed, right?”

The concrete stairs are damp and slippery, the torch picks out the water stains, the mold, the rats scurrying in the corners. His nose is reeling from the stench of unwashed body and the ammonia of piss and fear. “I’m Eddie,” He continues, “But you can call us Venom, okay?”

“‘k.” It’s so small, Eddie barely catches it. He follows the sound with the torch and the boy cringes, covering his eyes.

“Okay, a bit too bright, yeah?” Eddie lowers the light. The boy is pale and shivering, clothes far too small and worn through at the knees and elbows. His eyes seem too big, his hair long and lank, crawling with lice. “Do you want to hold it?”

The boy stares at him for a moment, then jerks his head in a brief nod. Eddie hands him the torch and takes out his back up. “This is where you live?”

Another pause, another nod. “Well, I’m not crazy about animals, so how about you help me out? Want to go upstairs and get a glass of milk?”

The look of terror on the boy’s face says it all. “It’s okay.” Eddie puts a hand on his shoulder, gently steering him towards the stairs. “I don’t like it down here, I’m scared of rats. Are you scared of rats?”

The boy shrugs. “The spiders are okay.”

“I’m scared of spiders too. You have to be really brave-” he keeps the boy talking until they make their slow, stumbling way out of the basement.

He looks even worse in the late afternoon light. The boy cringes, covering his face, his eyes watering. He flinches as a car rattles into the driveway.

And this- this is Eddie’s  _favourite_ part. He grins, and keeps on grinning. The boy’s eyes grow wide as Venom’s smile unzips his, drawing out endless razor sharp teeth. His mouth drops open, but he’s no longer shivering.

**_“Showtime.”_** They purr.

The guardians must have seen them inside, because they charge into the house, slamming the door behind them. Eddie catches sight of the man’s bloated face, red-white like badly mixed ice-cream, the woman’s face, just as pale and tight with rage. “What are you-”

Then they see them, and stop. Their mouths drop open, they start back to the door-

But Venom moves first.

When Eddie looks up, sucking down a length of intestine, the boy is standing very still, his hands over his eyes. Good. “ _Smart kid_.” Venom agrees, and they go back to their meal.

 

* * *

 

After cleaning themselves off, and mopping the floor. Eddie helps the boy to a glass of milk and a sandwich, and leads him out to the car.

He doesn’t say anything, staring at them with bright eyes. Eddie’s just started the engine when a small hand wraps around his arm. “You stop bad people, Mr Venom?”

Venom pushes free of Eddie’s shoulder and grin. “ _We eat bad people_ ,” He agrees. “ ** _Tell us if you find more.”_**

The boy meets Venom’s eyes, and Eddie’s. He nods solemnly.


	2. Both have past trauma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eddie and Venom dream. Sometimes they have nightmares.

_[indigoprinceofslytherin](https://indigoprinceofslytherin.tumblr.com/) asked:_

_Hi :) For a fic prompt could I please request: Hurt/comfort (lots of comfort) for nonsexual queerplatonic/romantic Symbrock with hurt!Venom (I'm imagining a backstory somewhat akin to Herman's in Anteverse Refugee of Venom having been treated v badly back on Klyntar) & Eddie having emotional parallels w his own trauma history of past abuse. They comfort each other after nightmares w tenderness & hugs. I also headcanon Eddie as a nonbinary guy & Venom as agender :) Hope you have a lovely day :)_

[ ](https://indigoprinceofslytherin.tumblr.com/)

They dream.

The world is fluid under their feet, sighing like the tide through kitchen surfaces and knife-sharp outcroppings of stone, through the dull peeling ceiling and the endless expanse of stars.

They dream.

Even in this, they’re together, Venom wrapped tight around Eddie- or is it Eddie wound up around Venom? They’re knotted into each other, through and through, until they’re not sure whose choice it was to start walking, to step out of the kitchen/valley, and out into a garden of spreading grass and glass-smooth shards of gemstone.

_Beautiful_. It is, both places blurring from one to the other perfectly, an easy transition from one planet to the other.

_Klyntar_. Venom murmurs in the back of their head. Bright and bare and picked clean as bones.

_North Bay_. Eddie agrees.  _We can go, if you want_. But there’s an odd pressure behind his words, a tension.

_We don’t want_. Venom states.

_No._

Maybe it’s the thought, ripped free and dangling out there, in this half and half world, that calls them up. Something picks itself free of the landscape, a amorphous, squirming thing not human and not symbiote but both at the same time. But not both like they are and they recoil at the sight of it, ebbing and flowing from one form to the other, even before the recognise it.

_No_. Not clear who the thought comes from. The thing looks at them and the weight of its stare crushes them. They are weak. They are worthless they are sinful they are  _wrong_  they are bad they are  _pathetic_  and  _useless_  and what are they here  _why did you live and she died_  what use are you pathetic sentimentality  _get out_ should be culled-

And they jerk awake. The world is solid and reassuring around them. The blank four walls of their bedroom. Eddie reaches up and Venom is swarmed in around him, clutching at every spare space of bare skin and shivering.

_You too?_

_Me too._

Eddie closes his eyes, and for a moment there’s nothing but them, the two of them. Carl Brock is dead and Riot is dead and o _h_ Eddie is glad they killed him themselves. He can feel Venom curling inside him angrily, longing to reach and lash out at the one who hurt Eddie so badly.

“Yeah,” Eddie smiles wearily. “I know love.”

“I know.”


	3. Eddie has social anxiety

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eddie has social anxiety, Venom tries to help. It all goes badly.

_[](http://dogmatix.tumblr.com/)dogmatix asked: Venom prompt - Venom is used to living with hundreds, thousands of other symbiotes, so while Venom is possessive of Eddie, that doesn't mean they're opposed to Eddie having a large circle of friends and/or sexual partners, and they might actually encourage it, as long as they don't have to hide themselves. (can be OC friends, Venom/Eddie/Anne/Dan, comics ppl like Flash or Spiderman, moresomes or platonic, it's all good)_

_(Not quite accurate to the prompt, Eddie has social anxiety)_

“Eddie?”

“Hmm?” Eddie doesn’t look up from the article. It’s done, checked over and he’s giving it one last going over before sending it off to his editor.

“We want to go out.”

“Go where?” Eddie stretches, his spine pops. They  _have_  been inside for too long, but hey, crunch time.

“Dancing.”

“Wait, what?” Eddie turns, Venom’s coiled around his shoulders, watching him. “I can’t dance.”

“We could take classes,” Venom raises his tendrils in a sort-of shrug. “Or cooking, if you don’t want. Or we could go to the park, and find someone to do sports with.”

Eddie stares. Oookay. “How about a movie?” He says weakly.

Venom considers, “Can Annie and Dan come?”

Something twists in Eddie’s stomach, tense and sick. “I can ask them.” He tries to keep his voice steady, “But they’re busy, you know.”

They  _are_ busy, as it turns out. Eddie tries to ignore the surge of relief when Annie apologises. He agrees to come for dinner next week, since they haven’t seen each other in so long, which is a bit more manageable and keeps Venom quiet. He’s still grumbling incoherently in the back of Eddie’s head as they walk into the movie theater.

He cheers up as the movie starts. Eddie snuggles into the plush seat and Venom ebbs out around him, a warm hug for them to huddle in.  _You like it just us,_  Venom says finally, as the movie starts.

“Yeah,” Eddie murmurs, and feels a warm, clawed hand wrap around his, entwining their fingers. “This is fine.”

Venom doesn’t say anything, but there’s something slight disquiet about his silence.

 

* * *

 

Eddie knocks on Annie’s door with a bottle of wine and Venom wrapped around his neck as a scarf. It’s still a bit awkward but- it’s okay. He an Annie are done, and that’s fine, he’s lucky they can carry on being friends. He smiles as the door opens-

And the noise inside makes him stop dead. There’s music, and laughter, and a lot of heat. Annie’s face is flushed, a few strands of hair slipping free. “There you are!” She grins and pulls him in. “I thought you were coming earlier.”

“Uh-” Eddie can’t think what to think. He can’t  _think_. There’s noise and so many people and the  _eyes_  on him- he tightens his grip on the bottle of wine as his hands start to sweat. “I thought it was just- the four of us, you know?”

Annie stops and frowns. “The four- Eddie, this was your idea? You sent me that text and you were right, I haven’t had a good meet up in ages. I thought you wanted to see our old friends.”

Oh. He knows these people. That’s James from Uni, and his girlfriend, and the group of mates he and Annie used to go bowling with. That’s Isha from Annie’s old workplace, and-  _fuck_  there are a few people from his old work dos too. He hasn’t seen these people since Carlton Drake got him fired.

It’s all Eddie can do to plaster on a grin and not run as fast as he can out of the house. He’s breathing’s too fast and he can feel sweat start to run down his neck-

_Eddie?_  Venom’s resting inside him,  _This is good?_

“No.” Eddie manages, then forces himself forwards with his best press grin when Isha spots him and the crowd gathers around him.  _Hey Eddie- how have you been- Annie’s told us so much- what are you doing now-_

Eddie smiles and smiles and smiles, and chokes out answers and follow on questions in as steady a voice as he can manage, and tries not to look at the clock too often.

Food is a relief, an excuse not to talk and even with Venom, he eats far too much. He volunteers to help Dan wash up and snatches a few moments of safety. Dan doesn’t say anything except ‘pass the sponge’ and’ do you want to dry?” It’s bliss after the chaos of the party, and Eddie takes it gladly, Venom growling angrily in the back of his mind.

Finally, it’s getting late, and the party is winding down. Eddie holds back a sigh of relief as everyone makes their excuses and drifts away. He’ll stay on a bit longer to help with clearing up since this was- technically- his idea.

_Fucking Parasite_.

“Hey!” It’s James, tipsy and wobbling a bit, “Eddie man, it’s been ages and it’s not that late. What about a bit of bar hopping? Night is still young, and all that.”

Eddie opens his mouth for a  _no thanks, next time man_ , but what comes out is, “Sure, we’re up for that. Anyone else want to come-” He slams a hand over his mouth before he can say any more.

“Heh,” James grins, “Good man, there’s that Irish place round the block, that should still be open. Dan and Annie, you coming?”

“I can’t.” Eddie mumbled through his hand. “Just remembered, deadline in the morn-” and Venom kicks off a coughing fit to shut him up.

Annie and Dan are looking at each other. “I think we’ll stay in, and I think Eddie’s had a few too many for one night, right Eddie?”

Eddie nods frantically. Anne put a hand on his shoulder as they wave the crowd goodbye. Eddie’s teeth still gritted together and Venom seething inside him. It’s only when Annie’s closed the door that he finally breaks out “ _What the fuck is WRONG with you!”_

They recoil, but it’s okay, they know it’s not directed at them. Annie’s mouth thins. “That wasn’t your text, was it?”

_Wanted to go out._  Venom sulks inside him,  _You need new friends_.

“Not like that! You don’t fucking  _spring_ that on someone, I need warning!”

_We wouldn’t have gone if I had. Thought we’d have fun, meet people_.

“That’s not how it works! No one can have fun like this-”

_We see other people enjoying it. They like to go out, they want to have other people around them._

And that’s- about the worst thing he could have said. All the anger just drains out of Eddie like a punctured balloon, until he just wants to sink through the floor and die. He wavers, unable to say another word.

“Eddie?” Annie touches his shoulder.

_Eddie?_  Venom, suddenly shy and uncertain.

He wants to cry, he wants to curl in a ball and scream. He manages to stay upright “Sorry,” he whispers to Annie and Dan. “I- we need to go home. You don’t have to watch this.”

“It’s okay.” Dan hands him his coat. “You know, I’ve seen this before, I know a good therapist for anxiety.”

Eddie’s looks away, “Yeah, thanks.” He takes his coat, and hurries out as fast as he can.

_Eddie? Eddie, we’re sorry, we didn’t mean-_

“It’s what you need though.” Eddie manages, his lips are numb, he doesn’t want to say it but fuck Venom’s going to make him. “You need someone who’s- like that. Who’s got more fucking friends that one ex and her boyfriend. Who gets to go out with people, who can walk into a fucking party without having a freakout.”

His breath comes ragged, his tears burn his cheeks. “And I- I’m just- I can’t. I can’t do that. Such a basic fucking thing you need, and I can’t manage it.”

_Eddie. Eddie please_ -

“And I-” he can’t keep going, ducks into an alley and sinks down to his haunches, huddling in on himself.

_Ourself._  Venom begs.  _Not just you. Never just you. Never leaving, Eddie please_ -

“Why not?! You said it, everyone else can do, there’s seven billion fucking people to choose from, you don’t have to hang around with someone who can’t even manage a fucking party for you-”

“It was for you!” Venom roars, bursting from from his chest, rearing up until they’re face to face. “You are- humans are not meant to be alone and we were never seeing anyone. Not even Annie and more. I tried but it did not feel enough and you weren’t happy-” He broke off, sagged down and nuzzled Eddie’s chest. “It was wrong, but I only wanted to help you, help us. Try and help you be happy, Eddie.”

“Oh shit.” Eddie sits down in the filth alleyway, sinks his hands into Venom’s warm skin. “I’m- I’m sorry, babe. I didn’t realise. It’s too much to expect from anyone.”

_I do not understand alone_. Venom sighs, settling back inside him.  _Always together on the homeworld, always with a host. Only alone when we were captured, and that was-_  he breaks off, Eddie can feel him shudder.  _Didn’t want that for you_.

“No.” Eddie takes a deep breath, he feels wrung out like a wet dishcloth, but there’s relief in there too. “I- look, I can’t promise anything, but I’ll try, okay? We’ll stay in touch with Annie and Dan and-” he sighs, “Maybe I’ll talk to him about the therapist.”

_And cooking classes?_

Eddie’s stomach clenches, but he breathes through it. “I’ll try. Find a small one, not too many people.”

_Just want you happy._

“I know babe.” Eddie sighs, “I love you too.”


	4. People Think Eddie is Crazy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
>  
> 
> _**anonymous   asked:** Venom prompt: I should feel bad about it but people thinking Eddie is insane has become one of my biggest plot kinks. ;) People reacting to him talking to himself/Venom, referring to himself in the plural, accidentally mentioning his 'alternate food source.' Could be random people on the street, or family/friends/coworkers, or other Marvel characters. Basically poor Eddie trying to navigate life with Venom and everyone else wondering if he should be medicated._
> 
>  

It’s good they live here.

Okay, New York wouldn’t have been bad either, and Eddie is already planning a trip back there.

“You’d like it,” Eddie continues as they step off the trolley car. “The lights are even better than here, and you’d love the Rockerfella tree.”

_**Can we climb it?**_ Venom curls around Eddie’s neck as a scarf, creeps over his fingers in warm gloves to hold his hand.

“Uh, no. Everyone will see, and anyway, we’d damage the lights and decorations.”

A small cluster of tourists stare at him. Eddie glaces at them- what’s their problem?- and they quickly pretend to be looking anywhere but him.

**_They think you’re crazy_.** Venom grins against his chest.

Yeah. It’s  _really_  good they live here. No one who lives here gives a fuck about a guy talking to himself in the street. 

**_What about in New York?_ **

“Yeah, they have _their share of crazies in New York!_ ” Eddie raises his voice, and the tourists run for it. Eddie ducks his head and giggles. Venom suffocates his own laughter in Eddie’s neck. “But no, sweetheart, you’ll really like it. They have proper snow there, we could make a snowman-

_Snow symbiote_.

“Heh, yeah. We’ll get some icicles for your teeth.”

The ice rink has been set up. Eddie leans on the barrier watching the crowds. He’d gone skating with Annie last year, and had fallen over so many times it’s not so much a romantic memory as an embarrassment. 

**_They have teeth on their feet_.** Venom curls up around Eddie’s neck, alarmed.

“Ice-skates,” Eddie corrects. The people standing nearby look at him nervously, and inch away. “They make people go faster on the ice.”

**_Why? That looks dangerous. What if you fall and they bite your fingers off?_ **

“Yeah.” Eddie grimaces. It was just as well he’d worn his biking gloves last year. “People are dumb and can lose their fingers doing stupid shit.”

The square around the rink is crowded, but they’ve got a fair ten feet across all to themselves. Even the skaters are avoiding their side of the rink. 

**_If it happens, can we eat them?_ **

“What, the fingers?”

**_Yes. Like little sausages, already frozen._ **

Eddie chokes, shaking his head helplessly. “If you want sausages we can get sausages. No eating people’s fingers.”

“Sir.” A tired looking member of the rink staff walks over to them, “Please move along, you’re scaring the children.”

“Okay, okay,” Eddie holds up his hands. “We’re going, we’re going.”

“Fucking crazies.” The woman mumbles, although Eddie’s pretty sure he’s meant to hear it. “Why don’t they put people like that away?”

Eddie pauses, and glances back thoughtfully. There’s a gem of a story in that. How do people react to people acting mad in public? Even in comparably harmless ways like Eddie- although okay, talking about eating fingers was going a bit far- if he was a bit more obvious about talking to Venom, how many would call the police? Would he be allowed into shops, or in public places? He could tie it into a larger piece on mental illness and the lack to available treatment.

_We’re not crazy_.

“Yeah, but they don’t know that.” Instead of muttering as usual, Eddie made an effort to speak at the normal volume. Already more people were looking at them. “At least we get to stop when we need to, a lot of people don’t get that.”


	5. Symbabies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ladyskyelar asked: Venom fic prompt: being paternal and taking care of their numerous alien goo babies <3

The LIFE foundation building is pitch dark, the lighting’s been off for days, and Eddie doesn’t dare switch on a torch. The whole place is still in lockdown and will be for probably the next few months until the dozens of lawsuits finally pull it down.

But they can’t wait that long. Fuck, but they might already be too late, Venom is a trembling tangle of wretchedness at the back of Eddie’s mind, dread running down his spine like an anxiety attack that doesn’t quite belong to him. “In here?” Eddie whispers, glancing down the empty corridor.

 _Yes_. Even that one word seems to exhaust the symbiote and Eddie feels him dredging up every last reserve to stay  _here_ , stay focused. It had taken him too many precious days after the rocket for him to be able to communicate again.

“You should have told me,” Eddie turns down the corridor. Everything’s a blur of grey and blue-black, and finally Eddie gives in and uses his phone as a flashlight, wincing in the suddenly dazzling glare. “I’d have gone in and found them for you.”

 **Wanted to. Didn’t dare. Forbidden. Riot would have-** he can’t quite finish, just a worn-out shudder, too exhausted by terrors to summon up more.

“Okay, fair enough.” Eddie rubs his knuckles over his stomach where- he thinks- Venom is. He hopes he is, anyway. Maybe he can feel the gesture and understand what it means.

 ** _Yes. Thank you Eddie._  **So tired Eddie wishes he could pull Venom in for a hug, but there’s too little of him for that. So much burnt away and what little left huddled inside Eddie for shelter.

Another crossroads. Eddie’s completely lost but that’s fine. Exit is going to be the same as entrance- through an unguarded window. He waits for Venom to tell him where to go.

But Venom can struggle up the words, instead, he opens his mind to Eddie, a bright, desperate  _call_ , like a tug on his brain, thin razorwire wrapped around his heart. Eddie nods, this way.

Through wall after wall of holding cells, a brief stutter as he recognises where they are- God, that was Maria’s cell. They cleared up the glass but the door is still broken where he smashed it. 

It’s a burst of grief, and an answering wretched wave from Venom. He’s sorry. He’s so sorry for Maria but they were both dying, starving together and please Eddie please move he has to go please we have to  _they’re going to die_ -

Eddie shakes himself, rubs his stomach again, and keeps going, down behind the gleaming steel and glass facade into the grim concrete and pipes service corridors behind. A cleaner’s cart is abandoned, overturned where the staff must have fled when Drake went berserk. The door of the storage closet is still open, a mop slumped across the corridor-

 ** _THERE_  **and Venom is sudden bright and desperate in his head, a deafening roar every bit as loud as he had been before. But Eddie doesn’t need it because he feels it too, the little coils of thought brushing against his, exhausted and cold and frightened and  _alone_  oh fuck how long have they been in there-

Eddie crashes into the closet, knocks over a stack of cleaning supplies and falls to his knees, fingers digging across the concrete floor, trying to find- where are they? There must be a crack, a mousehole- something-

There! Oh god there and thank you to whatever anonymous cleaner had left that bucket of filthy water in the corner of the closet. So much of it has evaporated that the kids are huddled at the bottom, struggling to keep covered away from the air that would burn and scorch them and oh thank you  _thank you_ -

Eddie doesn’t know how much of the blind, hysterical joy is his or Venom’s. He plunges both hands into the bucket and feels the shivering, frightened touch of the little symbiotes. Venom’s  _kids_. The kids he’d struggled to hide from Riot and LIFE and even Eddie and they’re  _safe_ , they coil around his hands and huddle inside him as they realise who he is.

“It’s okay.” Eddie chokes, “Plenty of space in here. I got your dad, and we’ve got some rabbits and guinea pigs at home for starter hosts. You’re gonna be okay. You’re gonna be okay.”

Venom doesn’t say anything, he’s beyond thought, coiling over and over the children huddled inside Eddie, shuddering in exhausted joy and sheer shuddering relief.


	6. Christmas Fluff

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> anonymous asked: Eddie can't surprise venom with any presents for Christmas because he's in his head all the time so he basically assigns the job to Anne and Dan, like, "please get something for this goop, he has spoiled all my ideas"
> 
>  

The presents look lovely under the tree.

Annie really went all out on the wrapping paper, silver-metallic, with bows and ribbons all over. They catch the light of the dozens of strings of lights Venom has strung everywhere and reflect it into a thousand festive twinkles.

There are presents for them, from her. Presents for them, from Dan. Presents for Venom, technically from him but Eddie had to abnegate any responsibility for those because  _someone_  is a nosy little  _parasite_  and kept rifling through Eddie’s ideas and leaving ‘helpful’ suggestions. So he gave Annie his credit card number and let her pick.

There are also a small number of presents for him, from Venom. Because  _Eddie_  is someone with  _self control_ , and he let Venom pilot him long enough to buy gifts on the express condition that they a) actually pay for them and b) none of them actually include someone’s head or other body parts. The presents are wrapped in jet black paper with silver-white bows, tucked up right under the tree.

”Eddie?” Venom murmurs, he’s half extruded from Eddie’s chest, head resting peacefully on his breastbone.

“Yeah babe?” Eddie strokes his head, Venom makes a deep rumbles at the touch that vibrates Eddie’s ribs.

“The tree smells good.”

“Yeah.” Eddie shifts from where they’re lying on the floor so they’re almost under the tree with the presents, branches nodding over head, laden with old and new baubles, tinsel, and half a dozen more strings of lights Venom had insisted on. “All the best for you.”

“I like them.” Venom yawns. “Like the city. Remember? On the roof, that first time.”

“I remember.” Eddie smiles, strokes between Venom’s eyes. He had nearly been shitting himself with fear, being that high up, he wasn’t about to forget it any time soon.

“Pussy.” Venom grumbles. “So beautiful. Hadn’t seen anything so beautiful.” He squirms against Eddie’s chest, getting comfy. “The city too, that was pretty.”

Eddie smiles against the warmth spreading through him. Venom’s eyes drift closed. He’s falling asleep, it’s fucking adorable- 

“I am not!”

“Yeah you are.” Eddie leans down and plants a kiss on those teeth. “S’okay babe, one more sleep ‘til Christmas, you know.”

“Four.”

“Well, sleep now and it’ll be three. You want to know what I got you, don’t you?”

“What Annie got us.”

“Hey, my credit card, my gifts.” Eddie looks around at the wrapped presents, the glimmering lights. It’s strange to have them here, in his flat. Last year he and Annie had just broken up and he just- hadn’t bothered. Couldn’t have imagined things could be like this again, so warm, so good.

They have a lot to be thankful for.

“Hey babe?”

“Mmmrf?”

“Just thinking- want to go to midnight mass for Christmas eve? They have lots of lights, and singing.” It had been years since he had last gone, Annie had never been a fan and before-

Well, there hadn’t been anything  _there_ worth remembering.

Venom must have felt some of that, he stirs and nudges Eddie’s lips in his attempt at a kiss. “We don’t have to.”

“I know, but it’s nice, and I’d like to make- some new memories, you know? New traditions. Christmas Mass, you and me for Christmas eve.”

“It’s a date.” Venom nuzzles him again. 

Eddie sits up and bit, frees and hand and pulls him it. “Like this.” he touches his lips to Venom’s teeth, opens his mouth and pushes his tongue against Venom’s, curling into the alien heat of his mouth, the rasp and scrape of his tongue as it slips into Eddie’s mouth.

“Hmmm.” Venom pulls away, eyes half lidded. “Like that.” He looks around at the presents next to them. “When do we open them?”

“We’ll open them on Christmas morning, and then we’re having Annie and Dan over for Christmas lunch-”

“Then we go hunting for Christmas dinner?”

“Not unless we see someone being very, very naughty.” Eddie smiles, “But we can go down to the pier and do some fishing, you like the lights there.”

“Hrrmm. Acceptable.”

For a moment, they don’t say anything, lying under the tree, the lights dancing around them. “I love you Eddie.”

“I love you too darling.”

“Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas to you too.”


	7. Mistletoe Kisses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [](http://sailoryue.tumblr.com/)[sailoryue](http://sailoryue.tumblr.com/) asked: Symbrock, kissing under the mistletoe :D

They eat out for Christmas eve. There’s a little place on the pier that has private booths, and they can tuck themselves away in the corner where no one can see. Eddie has to get up when they want to order, but it’s worth it.

The platter of fresh sushi arrives, the two beers. Eddie smiles and nods at the waitress, and when she goes, Venom comes out.

Eddie picks up a beer, Venom winds a tendril around his and lifts it tentatively. Eddie knocks his against Venom’s. “Happy Christmas sweetheart.”

Venom chinks their drinks together again, a little uncertain. “Happy Christmas Eddie.”

Eddie doesn’t drink, instead leaning forward and catching Venom’s mouth with his. Venom’s still learning how to kiss, and his mouth moves against Eddie’s, the faint catch of teeth where his lips can’t quite cover them.

“Here?” Venom cocks his head.

Eddie points at the little sprig of mistletoe pinned on their booth. “No one can see.” And even if they did, Eddie is was starting to forget why it mattered.

“Do we drink this?” Venom eyes the beer distastefully.

“You don’t have to.” Eddie takes a swallow of the beer. It’s a good one, they bring in local craft beers here.

Venom dives for the sushi instead and Eddie has to move quickly to secure a few pieces for himself before Venom swallows them down.

Maybe it’s the beer, but Eddie’s finding his eyes drawn back to Venom as they eat. The sleek lines of his head, the white eyes half closed in pleasure over the food. Beautiful, lean and delicate, the teeth long and needle sharp.

Venom sees him looking, and meets his eyes. “What are you thinking?” 

“Can’t you tell?” Eddie smiles, props himself up on an elbow. 

“Tell us anyway.”

Eddie runs a hand over Venom’s head, watches his eyes drift fully closed, a deep rumbling purr building in his throat, rumbling through Eddie’s chest. “I love you.”

Venom- doesn’t move, but he pulls more of himself out until Eddie has his arms around the heavy bulk of Venom, solid and massive in his hands. A huge hand wraps around the back of Eddie’s head, pulling it back until his throat is bare. Venom bares his teeth, his tongue coiling out, a trickle of drool runs down Eddie’s neck.

Eddie grins. “Trying to scare me?”

“We love you like this.” Venom murmurs, licking a long line along Eddie’s throat, up over his cheek. He pauses a moment, and follows the tongue with the slow scratch of his teeth. “We love you always”

Eddie grins, pulls him in for a deep and hungry kiss.


	8. Symbabies 2 - Introductions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [](https://sororia04s.tumblr.com/)[sororia04s](https://sororia04s.tumblr.com/) asked: I prompt you to continue symbabies story please!!

Venom can feel the spawn huddling against him, they are cold, and frightened. It’s been so long he’s nothing more than a vague memory to them and the smallest tries to pull away, frightened at this huge, hulking creature so close to them.

Venom snatches them back close before they can pull free of Eddie’s body or- worse, get lost in his body and hurt him.  _ **Stay**_ , he whispers, wrapping tendrils around them. Three of them. Venom feels dizzy with relief. Three, all safe, all here and huddled close.  _You’re safe. We are here, me and Eddie, you will be safe now_.

They don’t believe him, not really, and why should they? He’d left them. He can try and justify it- the rabbits were safe hosts, the humans too variable and dangerous. But he’d still left them.  _ **I am sorry,**  _he whispers to them,  ** _I did not want to leave. I only wanted you safe._**

Agony and Scream come closer, but they had been part of him since the comet, huddled within him to hide from Riot, they remembered. But the little one, the one born within LIFE and who had never known the stars- who didn’t even have a name yet- he pulled away from them.

 ** _Please_.** Venom begs, he feels Eddie press his hands against his stomach, trying to reach in and comfort him.  ** _Please, you are safe, please-_**

The spawn shudders, and suddenly darts away again, out of reach- and tearing out of Eddie’s body.

**_No!_ **

Eddie cries out, stumbling back. He isn’t bleeding, but the spawn’s ripped through tissue and splintered several ribs. Venom freezes, torn between needed to go after the spawn and  _Eddie._ Finally, he rushes to staunch the internal bleeding, the children weeping and shuddering in panic at the flashes of pain and adrenaline.

“Okay, okay.” Eddie’s voice rattles through his bones, a comforting rumble through them as Venom patches up flesh and muscle. “I got you. Shh, it’s okay-”

He’ll need to check the repairs later, but for now Eddie’s okay. Venom pushes free from his shoulder, looking around desperately.

And the spawn is in Eddie’s arms. Tucked in the corner of his elbow. Eddie’s crooning to it gently, stroking it. “It’s okay.” He repeats. “You’re safe. It’s okay.”

And- it’s working. The little one is relaxing at the reassuring voice, the soft touches. Venom climbs over his shoulder and the spawn shudders, pulling back further in Eddie’s hands.

“It’s okay, it’s fine. That’s your dad, see? We’re here to help. We’ll look after you. It’s okay.”

He runs a hand gently over the spawn’s head. It reaches a little tendril and winds it around Eddie’s finger. “Oh hell, he’s adorable.” Eddie smiles at Venom. “What’s his name?”

“He doesn’t have one yet.” Venom relaxes on Eddie’s shoulder. So relieved it’s a struggle not to melt back in. “He was born here and- he doesn’t know us yet.”

“Oh,” He can feel the mirror-pain shiver through Eddie, “I’m so sorry sweetheart.” 

Venom closes his eyes, Eddie leans in, and presses slightly-damp lips to his head, a tender touch, so very gentle. He feels Agony and Scream creep out shyly, look around at the strange world around them.

“Oh, hey darlings.” Eddie smiles, reaches out and strokes a finger over their little heads, down their necks. Agony leans into the touch, but Scream coils back in alarm, baring her little teeth. “Okay, okay. No touchy. It’s okay.”

The little one, feeling left out, swarms up Eddie’s arm and sits on his other shoulder, reaching a tendril to prod Eddie’s cheek to get his attention. “Aren’t we paying enough attention to you, kiddo?” He smiles, and kisses a tiny tentacle.

The little one withdraws shyly, eyes moving from Eddie, then to Venom. There’s still fear there, but he isn’t running. “Little one.” Venom whispers. “We won’t hurt you. We’re here for you.”

He edges forward, little by little. The little one tenses at first, eyes on Venom’s teeth, his powerful coils. Venom stops, only a few inches away, waiting. 

Eddie strokes one hand over Venom’s neck, the other gently kneading the little one, relaxing him. Finally, the little one moves, closing the last few inches between them and touches his muzzle to Venom’s, a small, fearful question-  _whowhatwherehurthurthurt-_

“No.” Venom growls. “Never hurt. Not with us. Safe now. Safe together.” Scream and Agony snake over Eddie’s shoulders and wind around their brother. He relaxes slowly, leans into the touches.

Eddie sniffs, rubs his eyes. “Sorry.” He smiles weakly at Venom. “You’re all beautiful.” He presses a kiss to the little one, to Agony, hesitates for a moment, then Scream leans in and she gets a kiss too.

Then he turns to Venom, opens his mouth for a deep kiss and Venom  _melts_  into it. They are  _safe_. They are all together, curled around Eddie, held in his hands. Together. Safe.


	9. A New Kind of Sex Change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> anonymous asked: venom prompt. ABO AU except humans usually don't have secondary gender. unless they're bonded to a symbiote in which case it's passed on. venom just casually bringing this up and eddie being like "excuse me? we're a what now?"

“What?” Eddie groans, peering through sweat-soaked hair at Venom.

“You are in Heat.” Venom repeats, then cocks his head. “You don’t have Heats?”

“No!” Eddie grabs his hair and pulls, hard enough to the pain to cut through the roaring  _want_  burning through him. “I’m not a cat or a- fucking  _ferret_  or- I don’t know! Not humans!”

“We are us.” Venom explains patiently. “We are Omega, Breeder. And now so are you.”

“Fuck!” Eddie arches his back. He’s- never felt  _anything_  like this before, every nerve of his body alive with the desperate need to be  _fucked_. “I- I need-”

“Yes.” Venom purrs, and traces his way up Eddie’s chest to his neck, licking and nipping hungrily. “We will take care of you, Eddie.”

Eddie starts to say something- he had no idea what- and gives that up into a groan as Venom pops the button of his jeans, and eases down the zipper, freeing his cock. He’s so hard it  _hurts_  but it’s- more than that. So big and huge and devouring that Eddie doesn’t think an orgasm will be enough- or even a whole array of orgasms.

“Here.” Venom trembles against him, breath coming faster, hungrier. He pulls Eddie’s jeans and underwear down and for a moment Eddie wonder’s if he’s wet himself. His boxers are soaked through, and when he moves, he can feels the slick running from his ass. 

“What the fuck are you doing to me?” Eddie whispers.

“We are changing you.” Venom’s head appears in his field of vision, mouth open and panting. “As you change us. You keep us alive in this air, in this planet, and shield us from the noises. We-” for a moment he breaks off, and Eddie wonders if that’s  _embarrassment_. Yeah, it is. Huh, so that’s what Venom looks like embarrassed. “We need to breed with you.”

“Wait- ah!” Eddie yelps as something huge and heavy and  _so good_  slides between his legs, probes teasingly at his ass.  “Oh fuck, please- what, breed?” Eddie struggles to pieces his train of thought back together. “Are you going to knock me up?”

“Yes.” Venom nuzzles him fondly, “And you me.”

“But- I can’t-” Eddie breaks off into a groan and presses back against the tentacle, spreading his legs in invitation.

“You can now.” Venom hesitates, “Is this- bad?”

Right now, nothing will ever feel bad again as long as Venom  _gets inside him_. “I don’t know.” He pants. “Some warning would have been nice.”

“Not sure it would happen like this. I am sorry.” 

When Eddie squints up, Venom is turning away, ashamed. “Hey, no, no.” Eddie pulls him back, draws him down and kisses that double row of beautiful teeth. “I’m not mad, just-” the tentacle probes up, slipping inside him just a little and Eddie  _wails_. “Oh  _fuck!_  Yes, wow. Surprised. Yeah. I’m surprised. Fuck, that feels good.”

Venom doesn’t pull away, but doesn’t kiss back, and Eddie can feel the shame inside him. Eddie closes his eyes and forces his mind back together. “I love you.” He manages. “Nothing’s gonna change that. Now get over yourself and  _fuck me_.”


	10. Symbabies 3- Naming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [sagetsukimura](https://sagetsukimura.tumblr.com/) asked: Hey, prompt idea! The symbabies getting thier names! Do the kids choose them, or do Eddie and Venom name them? Are they named after thier own personalities, or something else. (Imagining everyone arguing on how cool a of a name 'Ebony' or 'darkness' is lol)

Home is an exhausted relief to all of them. Eddie locks the door behind them, and walks over to the little pens of rabbits and guinea pigs. He sinks down to his knees- fuck, he’s tired- and reaches a hand out to the pets. 

The three children nose their way out curiously, sniffing over the animals. “They’re good.” Eddie coaxes, “They won’t hurt you.”

The bigger two- Scream and Agony- make their way out first. Scream reaches for the rabbits, brushing over them one at a time, then sinking into a soft, plush-furred white one. The rabbit’s eyes film over in yellow and orange, the ears twitch, the animal stretches comfortably, and curls up to sleep.

“One for you?” Venom nudges Agony gently. She’s a little shyer, wavering between the animals before choosing the one chinchilla, the fur grey and shimmering. It’s eyes flicker purple-pink, and it too settles down in the fluff of its own fur, and closes its eyes.

“What about you, kiddo?” Eddie runs a hand over the smallest, the little one. It takes the most after Venom, mostly black, with yellow markings. It looks up at him, reddish eyes doubtful. “A rabbit? Or do you want one of the guinea pigs?”

The little one looks down at the animals as Eddie reaches him out over the pens, occasionally twitching a tendril now and then, but mostly just looking uninterested. “No? Eddie hesitates, glances at Venom, “Do you want a- cat, or a dog?”

Then the little one pulls free completely, coiling up on the ground like a long snake. Venom rears up in a panic, “No!”

The little one gives them a bored look, and starts to nose around the edges of the pens, pulling through the bars and starting to explore the room.

Venom wavers, half in and half out of Eddie. “Come back, the air-”

“I don’t think it’s bothering him.” Eddie steps over to where the little one is crawling up the side of a cupboard, then pulling himself up on the counter. “Hungry, kiddo?” Eddie strokes his head gently.

The little one presses back against his hand and wanders over to a dishtowel, nuzzles down inside it, and closes his eyes. “Or sleepy, yeah.” Eddie smiles. “Is he going to be okay?” He turns to Venom.

Venom hesitates, “He was born on this world,” he says finally, “And we adapt quickly. It may be the air can’t hurt him.”

“Well, we’ll keep an eye on him.” Eddie scoops little sleepy up in his hands, then goes to the pen and takes the Scream-bunny and Agony-chinchilla. “Bedtime for everyone.”

“Yes.” Venom sounds completely wrecked, stress and pain and fear having wrung him out completely. 

Eddie settles the three children on the bed, and turns to Venom. “We did it, sweetheart.”

“Yes.” Venom wraps around him, huddling close. Those great eyes close. “Thank you, Eddie. Thank you so much.”

“I love you.” Eddie kisses him on the top of his head. “These are your kids, and I love them too. We’ll- we’ll be a  _family_. I-” he looks away, “I guess I always- wanted that, one day.”

“Not like this,” Venom gives him a weak smile.

“Nah, but this is pretty good too.” Eddie smiles back. “I want this, darling. I want to help you look after them and- I want to be their parent too.”

“Eddie-” Venom can’t finish, winds himself over and over Eddie’s shoulder in a desperate hug.

“I love you.” Eddie repeats, lifts Venom’s head and kisses him gently. “Now, I’m shattered. Want to go to bed?”

“Please.” Venom huffs.

Eddie eases them both down beside the sleeping children. Scream kicks in her slumber, the rabbit’s ears twitching. Agony’s nose twitches. Little sleepy lifts his head, blinking at them.

“Shh,” Eddie strokes him, “Just us, little sleepy, go back to sleep.”

“Little sleepy,” Venom murmurs, “Sleeper. It’s a good name.”

“Agony, Scream, and Sleeper.” Eddie smiles, “One of these is not like the others.”

“No, but this is Earth. Things are different here. They will be different.”

Eddie gives Venom one last, massive hug, and closes his eyes. Their body aches from the strain of carrying four symbiotes inside themselves, and the soft sounds of slumbering children rocks them to sleep.


	11. Rescue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
>  anonymous  asked: Symbrock prompt: We got to see Venom rather epically coming to Eddie's rescue in the movie. Could we get a fic with the reverse - Eddie getting all protective and rescuing Venom at some point. (probably set after the movie. but it's up to u. ur an awesome writer so whatever u feel like doing). 
> 
>  

“And of course, this is our goose laying the golden eggs.”

Eddie’s grin is so fixed it hurts, feels as though his face might shatter from the force of it. The cell is hazy with gas, green-grey fog, but he can see the faint, black shadow huddled in the corner.

God, he’s so  _small_.

“Small but deadly.” The scientist pulls a face and Eddie starts, he hadn’t realised he was speaking aloud. “We found the remains in what was left of the shuttle. Whatever Drake thought he was doing with it, he was sitting on a goldmine.”

It’s the hardest thing Eddie has ever done to keep his mask in place, smile with all the interest he can dredge up, every inch the potential investor Annie set him up to be. His knuckles slowly turn white on the edge of his briefcase, all those convincing papers she’d mocked up for him. “If  _it’s_  so deadly, how are you keeping  _it_  contained?”

“Sonic emitters to begin with, but we’ve found a chemical mixture that suppresses higher mental functions.” Eddie’s going to be sick. “It’s only temporary at the moment, and we need to keep it in this fog, but with your investment, we should be able to create a series of injections that will prove more permanent-”

Eddie can’t hear any more, his heart is beating in his ears so loud there’s nothing but blood, his eyes fixed on the woman’s throat. She trails off, one hand going to her neck. “Mr Smith?”

Eddie licks his lips. Any control burning to nothing. He sends Annie a half-hearted apology, this was only meant to be recon and she’s never going to forgive him for this. “You’ve got something on your-” He indicates the front of her blouse.

When she looks down, Eddie brings his briefcase down on the back of her head with both hands.

The briefcase bursts in a flurry of white paper. A spray of blood slashes across Eddie’s shirt, smears against his cheek. Eddie wonders for a moment if he killed her- then remembers the last few seconds, what they’ve been doing,  _what they were going to do-_ and spits on what is hopefully a corpse.

“Okay.” Eddie tries to breathe, gropes around the woman’s neck and finds her key card. There are no signs of an alarm, this iteration of LIFE is just as paranoid about getting found out as the last one. “Okay darling, I’m coming. I’m here.”

The door wails and spits as he swipes the keycard. A hiss of compressed air and the door opens. Eddie chokes and covers his mouth, the air tastes of chlorine and melted plastic. “V-” He chokes, the room smells like a fire in a swimming pool. His eyes are watering so badly he can barely see. “V, where are you? I’m here, come on-”

There’s a flicker of darkness in the corner of his eye. Something moving, just a little. “Yeah, that’s it.” Eddie coaxes, Venom is a tightly coiled knot of tendrils in the corner of the room, shivering. “It’s me darling, you remember me?”

Nothing. Eddie’s heart shatters, he kneels down, dragging in a ragged breath, and now the wetness in his eyes has nothing to do with the stinging air. “Come on, I’m getting you out.”

He runs a hand over the dark mass, feels Venom tremble under his hand. He tries to pull his tentacles out of the way and Eddie chokes at the sight- so many severed, and chunks missing from the rest. “It’s okay.” Eddie rubs his burning eyes. “Come on, I won’t hurt you. No one’s going to hurt you. We’ll eat them if they try, yeah?”

Venom trembles again, but Eddie feels him slowly relax under the soft strokes, “That’s it darling, come on, bond to me. You remember how? You and me darling, together?”

A tentacle reaches out tentatively, wraps around Eddie’s wrist. It’s thin and pock marked, as though the poisonous air was eating away at it. Eddie strokes him again, glancing at the door, the fog is starting to clear, but God, they can’’t stay here much longer, his little tour must have have been expected to finish by now, they’ll be wondering where he is. “Sorry, sweetheart.” Eddie grits his teeth and wraps his arms around Venom, pulling him up, cradled against his chest.

Venom  _freaks out_. He’s lashing out in every direction, clawing at Eddie’s arms, his chest. Eddie hisses in pain as a toothy tentacle claws his cheek open. “It’s me!” He cries out, then grabs the tentacle and presses it to his cheek. “Here! Taste familiar? You ate half my organs last week. Calm down!”

And to his complete shock, it works. Venom stills, tentacles slowly falling slack. Then he gathers himself in Eddie’s arms, like a sleek black wave. He’s trying to form a face, Eddie sees an eye emerge, a cluster of teeth- but he can’t quite manage it and slumps back against him, shivering, sick and scared.

“Oh darling.” Eddie leans down and presses his lips against Venom’s form, trying to shove the memory through to him. In the forest, Venom racing over to him, chewing off Treece’s head, pulling him to his feet and-

The kiss.

The sheer shock of it, the relief and joy and a feeling like a puzzle piece finally falling into place.  _This_  is what was missing, this is what they both wanted so badly, right from the beginning. “I love you.”

But he’s speaking to empty air, the last black tendril vanishing inside him. “Oh, thank god.” Eddie whispers.

Venom’s a tangled ball of terror and confusion inside him. He can’t  _think_. Everything is a burst of senseless sensation he can’t make sense of, fear and pain and massive creatures hurting and cutting and pouring in air that made him sick and stupid, injections that felt worse, dull and draining until he wanted to die from it-

“Shh,” Eddie stumbles for the door. Not far, not far. Nearly there,  _thank god_ , nearly there. He opens his mind to Venom, tries not to think to much, lets Venom use his brain while his is- offline.

 _ **Eddie.**_ The whisper makes him sob, fuck, he’d missed him  _so much_.  _ **Alone- pain-**_

“I know darling.” Finally, they’re out, Eddie drags in breath after breath of fresh air, feeding it into his bloodstream and to Venom. “We’re out. Let’s go home.”

 _ **Broken.**_  Venom shudders.  _ **Can’t think.**_

“You’ll feel better soon, we’re out of that- whatever fucking fog that was.”

_**Might- not be. Wanted- broken forever. May have- succeeded.** _

Eddie stops, takes in a breath. The scientist is still lying on the floor in a pool of blood, she isn’t breathing. Good. “I don’t care.” He says finally. “I love you. I’ll take care of you. You’ll always have a home in me.”

Venom cannot answer in words, but the huge wave of love and relief and weeping joy says enough. Eddie swallows back the tears, and heads to the door.

They don’t quite get there, the door bursts open and- wow, Drake really did have his own private little army, didn’t he? “Get down! Hands on the ground!”

_**Eddie?** _

“Mask?”

_**Copy.** _

Eddie grins, grins wider and wider and wider until his whole face unzips into teeth, and the screaming starts.


	12. Pet Names and Love Confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [](https://iamnmbr3.tumblr.com/)[iamnmbr3](https://iamnmbr3.tumblr.com/) asked: Venom prompt. In which Eddie introduces pet names like "love" but Venom is the first to say "I love you." if u feel like it.
> 
>  

It slips out almost without warning, one moment Eddie’s sniping about the sudden dearth of tater tots, and scrambling for a name softer than parasite, but still communicating that he is, in fact, pissed, and it just- comes out.

“You’re such a fucking pain, sweetheart.” He grumbles.

Eddie stops, replaying the last few words. It’s had the desired effect though, Venom closes his sharp little mouth with a  _click,_ and blinks confused eyes at Eddie.

Eddie meets his eyes, and looks away with a muttered “well, you are,” and thank god but Venom lets the matter die.

But Eddie does feel his eyes on him, even after Venom slips back under his skin, watching him from inside.

 

* * *

 

The next time is even more surprising, they’re home early and indulging in a bit of cooking. They’ve finally moved into a place with a decent kitchen, and it seems a shame not to make use of it.

“Eggs.” Venom informs him, pulling back from the fridge and opening his mouth to disgorge four slightly slimy eggs.

It’s a mark of just how  _normal_  this has become that Eddie doesn’t even blink at the slippery goo covering the eggs, picking them up and cracking them one at a time into the mixing bowl. “Thanks.” He smiles.

“We make a good team,” Venom loops around his shoulders, watching him beat the eggs. 

“The terror of the underworld and the bakery section.” Eddie agrees. “Get me some milk please darling.”

Venom is stretched halfway back to the fridge before what he’s said hits them. Venom pulls back suddenly, making Eddie look up and-  _oh_.

“Sorry.” He says quickly, then feels stupid. “I mean, not sorry but- I didn’t mean- not that I didn’t mean it but-” Eddie shuts his mouth before he makes things even worse.

Venom is quiet for a long moment, picking up the jug of milk in his tentacles and bringing it to the counter, then slipping back only just inside Eddie, so close to the surface Eddie’s skin is patterned in fading black and charcoal grey. He’s not upset, just- Eddie tries to reach for him inside his mind and wow, that’s a lot of feelings. He pulls back and gives Venom the space to sort himself out.

“Anyway,” he continues, trying to bring this evening back on the rails. “It’s half a pint of milk, then we add the sugar-”

It takes until they start melting the chocolate over a medium heat for Venom to poke his head back out and join in again, he doesn’t say anything about earlier, but the weight of it presses down on the fabric of their shared minds like a bowling ball.

 

* * *

 

 

Frankly, Eddie blames Annie.

She’d always hated pet names. Eddie had tried a few, but she’d shot them down relentlessly until he’d given up. After so many years of being bereft, was it really that surprising he’d break out the ‘darlings’ and ‘sweethearts’ at the drop of a hat?

That’s his excuse, anyway. And he’s sticking to it. 

“Sorry, babe-” Eddie breaks off, and sighs,  _again_? Venom doesn’t seem to mind this time, licking sadly at the pool of blood their would be rapist  _had_  been lying in, before the man had come to his senses and run while Eddie and Venom had been digesting his friend. “Want to catch him?”

“No.” Venom says gloomily. “Too much of a head start, and he will be on a main road by now.”

“It’s okay,” Eddie gives him a hug, feels the lines of self blur again, Venom engulfing him, just a moment being one again-  _God that’s good_ - “We’ll get more later.”

“It’s already later.” Venom huffs, “Getting too early to hunt.” Then he brightens, “Still, he won’t do that again.”

“Not a chance. ” Eddie agrees, “Not with what you did to his balls, anyway.” Eddie would wince, but anyone who tries to drug people in bars, drag them outside and rape them totally deserves unanaesthetised castration. Thank fuck Venom could metabolise ryhopnol, Eddie hadn’t even noticed the guy before it was too late. “Thanks love.”

And  _oh for fuck’s sake_ , but that’s a new one. He opens his mouth to apologise-

“No.” Venom cuts him off before he can start. “It’s good, Eddie. We-  _I_  like it.”

It’s so rare Venom talking about himself in the singular that Eddie blinks. “I don’t want you to feel-”

“There is nothing we feel that isn’t good.” Venom says firmly, “ _my_  Eddie.”

And fuck but Eddie’s blushing at that one.

 

* * *

 

_**EddieEddieEddie**!_

The scream’s barely words, falls on his brain like hammer blows. Edie groans and tries to curl up, but he  _can’t move_  and even that abortive twitch sends flurries of white-hot pain through him like a rain of tiny needles. “Wha-” he chokes, on pain, and the blood filing his mouth.

**_hurt hurt hurt Eddie not move stay stay heal please stay_ **

Stay? Eddie wasn’t planning to go anywhere- but then, maybe he is. It’s like the world is slipping away under him, little by little, and he’s going to be tipped off it, into some- gaping mouth in the darkness.

**_no no stay please breathe breathe Eddie lungs and heart and oh Eddie liver_ **

“Don- eat-” Eddie gives up. Closes his eyes. Everything feels so heavy, like the only thing still keeping him on the tilting plane of the world is the hanging drag of his own body.  _Their_ body. Really, Venom can eat it at this point, it’s not like Eddie’s going to need it-

**_Eddie!_ **

-where he’s going.

**_No no please stay Eddie don’t go stay with us please love you love you Eddie-_ **

He can’t drag the thoughts together to answer, but digs his fingers into the bloody tarmac, struggles one breath, then another.

**_yes yes please yes Eddie another another well done so good Eddie_ **

God, it hurts so much. That car. The rapist from the bar behind the wheel and the punch of hundreds of pounds of steel against his chest and the world flailing in a bloody kaleidoscope and the  _pain the pain_ -

**_Please Eddie please love you love you so much breathe please breathe more_ **

_Anything for you_ , Eddie thinks dimly, drags in a breath through ruined lungs, feels the bones of his ribs twitch and pop back into place. Chokes as Venom fills his mouth and throat, reaching into his lungs to soak up the blood.  _So sorry darling- didn’t know- should have said-_

_**Shhh, you did, you did Eddie. We know. Love you. Always love you**._

The next breath comes easier, the next one easier still. Eddie blinks and opens his eyes to the ravaged mess of the crash. The car torn open down the middle, the driver split into so many component parts Eddie’s not sure what he’s looking at.  _Love?_

 ** _Needed fuel_. **Venom sounds exhausted.  ** _Spare parts. So much broken_. **Eddie feels him shudder.  ** _Nearly went away, Eddie-_**

“Yeah, but I didn’t, sweetheart.” Eddie sits up, his body feels raw and- new. “You saved me, love, you saved me.”

 _ **Nearly left**._ Venom wraps a warm coil around Eddie’s shoulders, Eddie grabs him and wraps them around himself. Fuck he’s cold. His clothes are pretty much history between the tyre-and-tarmac damage and the blood.  ** _Can’t go. Please Eddie. Not alone, not without us. Love you._**

Eddie closes his eyes and buries his face in Venom’s coils. “Love you so much, darling. Not going anywhere without you.”


	13. Symbabies 4- Outings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [](https://lumielwinchester.tumblr.com/)[lumielwinchester](https://lumielwinchester.tumblr.com/) asked: Venom fic prompt: a continuation of your wonderful story with Venom and Eddie being paternal, pretty please 🖤

Sleeper hisses rebelliously at Eddie, and the rabbit he’s holding. Eddie sighs and rolls his eyes, “I know you don’t like it, but if you want to go outside, you need a host, okay?”

It’s clearly not okay, Sleeper’s little red eyes narrow, and Eddie starts feeling helpless. Fuck, what kind of dad is he being, if he can’t even get his kid to behave?

“You will go in,”  Venom growls from Eddie’s shoulder. Or you will be coming in a time-out jar.” He holds up the outsized jamjar threateningly.

Sleeper looks doubtfully between the two, wavering.

“Come on,” Eddie coaxes, proffering the rabbit like a coat. “It’s nice and warm and fluffy.”

“Go!” Scream pokes free from her rabbit’s shoulder. “Want to go out!” She pouts at Sleeper.

Surrounded by enemies, browbeaten, Sleeper hisses to himself and slides into the rabbit. The animal’s eyes film over black and green, and it sits up in Eddie’s arms, glowering at him reproachfully.

“Good boy,” Eddie strokes the rabbit’s back, Sleeper shakes him off and hops into the stroller beside his sisters, turning his back on them pointedly.

“Okay guys,” Eddie checks Venom is safely curled around his shoulders as a scarf, around his hands as gloves, and take the stroller pushbar. “Ready to see San Francisco?”

“Yes!” Scream and Agony chorus, their hosts’ eyes bright, ears flicked forwards to the door. Sleeper grumbles to himself.

The stroller takes a bit of manoevering to get down the stairs, and Venom has to snake out a tendril to steady it as they bounce down the last few steps. Eddie glances around carefully, but no one seems to be paying attention.

“Quiet if there’s anyone to hear, okay?” He leans over the stroller. “I can talk, but if you want to talk, you do it through your dad, okay?”

Their voices chirp in his head, funnelled through Venom. Even Sleeper can’t help but join in, and Eddie can feel Venom’s warm joy at having their little family together.

“First stop, the piers. Want to see the ships, sweethearts?”

_Yes!_  Sleeper and Scream thump their back legs in excitement, Agony scratches at the floor eagerly. Eddie smiles, and sets off.

He’d gotten a few people looking at him when it was just him talking to Venom. He’d thought having something actually there to talk to- even if they’re just three small animals- would make him even less noticeable.

He was wrong.

“Oh wow, are those rabbits?” 

A small knot of teenagers flock around them, looking into the stroller. Eddie blinks, The three children freeze. “Uh, yeah.” Eddie tries to gather himself. “Two rabbits, one chinchilla. They’re kinda shy though, so-”

“No problem!”

“They are so cute though-”

“I didn’t know you could take rabbits for a walk.”

_**Chinchilla**_. Agony grumbles, flicking her ears as the children walk away.

Eddie leans down and strokes them, “You guys okay?”

He gets an uncertain  ** _yes?_  **They aren’t used to being seen without the risk of violence, this is very new to them.

“You’re adorable.” Eddie says firmly, and touches Venom, wrapped around his neck. “What about you, babe?”

There a flicker of fear- people, so close to their children- but a warm flush of pride. Their children are beautiful, and people are recognising it.

Eddie grins. “Yeah, the cutest kids ever.”

 

* * *

 

They get a lot of attention on the way down to the pier. A small girl on the trolleycar who  _insisted_  of stroking Agony, Agony sitting up dignified under her rough stroking. A gaggle of tourists exclaiming in Spanish as he wheels the trolley past, “ _Conejo!”_

**Chinchilla,**  Agony growls threateningly.

“You’re a lovely chinchilla, darling.” Eddie strokes her, and she subsides, mollified. Around his neck, Venom wriggles in delight at so much admiration for his children.

But then they’re on the pier and they’re all sitting up in the stroller, ears up to the shouts of the crowds, eyes shining at the colours, the sunlight shimmering on the water, noses twitching in the strange smells of frying food, roasting meat. Eddie’s head is a deafening hail of  ** _!!!!!!!!_**

“Okay okay- slow down.” Eddie rubs his head. That  _hurt_. “How about a snack, sweethearts?”

**_Yesyesyesyes!_ **

Everyone in the queue to the spit-roast stall coos and gasps over the kids. Eddie accepts an extra large helping of salad, far too aware he’s the one who’ll be eating it, and pulls them around a corner to feed.

The rabbits and chinchilla nibble half-heartedly at the salad. The three kids snap up the slivers of flesh hungrily. Venom munching on a heavy chuck himself. Eddie sighs, and turns to his diced lettuce.

“Eddie-”

Eddie turns, Venom is has left half of his share, holding it in offering. Eddie smiles, “Thanks darling.” He leans in and takes it from Venom’s teeth. Venom darts in, and steals a kiss too. Eddie swallows, and pulls him in for another. “Love you.”

“Love you too.” Venom looks at him, the kids squabbling over the last few scraps, and the joy inside him is so huge Eddie wonders if they might just both burst from it.[


	14. Gameshow AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
> anonymous asked: humor/crack prompt. if u want. venom dating show AU. it's just a normal dating show. venom is one of the contestants. he is also a pile of alien goo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (AU where Earth is an intergalactic hub and everyone’s getting along)

Game shows have- kinda changed since Eddie used to watch them.

“And for our charity special, please welcome our most eligible bachelor, star of the Eddie Brock show,  _Mr- Edward- Brock!”_

That’s his cue. Eddie takes a deep breath, straightens his tux for the thousandth time, and steps out onto the stage.

The presenter is smiling that toothpaste ad, thousand dollar smile. The audience is an anonymous blur of black and photography flashes. But Eddie’s eyes are pulled away, across the stage to see who- and what- have donated enough to get the chance to go on a date with him.

Okay, three humans. That’s a good start. He can do humans. Did do humans, quite a lot in fact, although after Annie he’s kinda- fallen off with that.

Two Asgardians. Umm… maybe? Okay, they look pretty good, one skinny black haired guy lounging on his chair like it’s a throne and occasionally spinning round when he thinks no one is watching, and a tall statuesque  _goddess_  all steel and massive forearms and is this how human women feel when dating? That cross between  _wow that’s hot_  and _this person could kill or worse than kill me and there’s nothing I could do about it_?

Eddie chalks them up to a wavering maybe and looks at the last two, even more alien contestants. One is blue and okay no, that’s a strike right out. Eddie might be a trainwreck but he is  _not_  dating a Kree. He’s not going to be part of some alien’s slumming grand tour.

And the last one is- a goo. Eddie digs desperately through his memories of all the aliens he knows, but all of them are at least a  _bit_  humanoid. This isn’t even close. It blinks huge white eyes nervously at him and- okay, that’s cute. Eddie isn’t sure how a date with that’s even going to  _go_ , but- he’s ready to try.

Okay. That’s a maybe on the Asgardian guy who likes the wheely chair and the goo, an ‘if I have to’ with the other Asgardian and the humans, and a hard no on the Kree. The presenter is introducing everyone and Eddie’s missed most of them, but he tries to tune back in.

“-a prince of Asgard and Jotunheim.” He waves at Prince Wheely Chair and  _fuck_ , but Eddie should have listened for his name. “Next we have Brunnhilde, leader of the Asgardian Valkyries, and she’d just love to take you for a ride on her big winged horse!”

Brunnhilde licks her lips suggestively and- okay so no. Eddie’s not so big on putting out on the first date. He looks away quickly, trying to ignore Prince Wheely Chair who is killing himself laughing. Fuck you, no Asgardians.

And of fucking course the next one is the fucking Kree, who’s looking like Eddie’s shit stuck to their boot- no, scratch that, like he’s someone the Kree would like to see lick off the shit stuck to their boot. “And here we have Kina the-”

“No.” Eddie snaps. “Fuck no. I am not dating a reject from the Blue Man Group.”

The presenter’s smile slips. The Kree glares at Eddie so hatefully Eddie’s desperately trying to remember if they can actually incinerate him with their mind. He- thinks no? Brunhilde bursts out laughing and Prince Wheely Chair actually falls off. Everyone laughs and he climbs back on the chair, hair a mess and glaring furiously at everyone.

Eddie can’t help but meet the goo’s sympathetic eyes, and manages a weak smile. They might be the only sane ones here.

After another livid stare, the Kree stomps off the stage and starts shouting at someone behind the cameras. The presenter takes a deep breath and tries to rally. “And finally, from  _very_  far away we have-” He squints at the auto-cue. “Sorry,  _what?”_ The goo curls lower in its chair, looking humiliated. “How am I even supposed to say that? Is that even a name?”

“It’s okay.” Eddie breaks in, stepping maybe a bit harder than necessary on the presenter’s foot. “I’m sure we can figure it out.”

“I-  _ow_ \- okay, he’s a symbiote, from Klyntar, wherever that is-  _fuck get off my foot-_  and that completes our list of contestants! Now, Mr Brock, what are your initial thoughts on our contestants?”

“I- don’t know if I’m quite ready to go back to humans just yet.” The three droop. Sorry guys. He wishes he’d caught their names. “And I’m not quite sure I’m getting a vibe with the Asgardians just yet. But-” the goo is perking up, looking hopeful. “I’m kinda interested in this guy. Sorry I can’t say your name, you got something else I can call you?”

**“Venom.”** Ooh-kay. On one hand, holy shit that voice is doing some really interesting things to Eddie’s insides, on the other  _fucking hell those teeth_. Eddie’s not sure if he’s more scared or turned on.  **“We are Venom, and you will be ours.”**


	15. Symbabies 5: Parenting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
>  anonymous asked: Yass Symbabies!!!

Venom didn’t want to admit it, but he was scared. No, that wasn’t right. What was the human word? Less than scared, more than nervous- _worried._  That was the word.

Oh, he’d been scared too. So terrified he had no idea how Eddie hadn’t felt it, the first impossible day they’d had together. Fear so deep and abiding it had almost become part of him, as though he half expected it to be a physical part of him, a ragged chunk of ice, spearing him all the way through. Fear for his children, helpless in the laboratories, under Drake’s scalpels, Riot’s claws and- yes, to begin with- Eddie’s hands too.

But the worry was there too, a faint itch at the back of his thoughts, even when they found the children safe and brought them home. Eddie had been happy, smiling and coaxing and all the kids loved him, but-

But.

But Eddie sitting with Annie, on one of their first dates. Annie smiling at him over a martini, “You’re not one of those guys who wants a white picket fence and two point five kids, are you?” Eddie laughing. 

But a coworker bringing his baby into the office, offering them for Eddie to hold, Eddie holding them stiffly, uncertain and too nervous. Glad to give them back.

But Annie’s sister calling them, asking them to babysit. Annie turning them down, then looking at Eddie and laughing, shaking her heads in amusement. “Hell no.” Eddie smiles ruefully.

“Ah, for f- for  _god’s_  sake.” The present moment jerks him back, and Venom looks out over Eddie’s shoulder. 

Eddie’s peering into his coffee mug. The contents are blacker and more viscous than even Eddie’s usual brew. “Come on,” Eddie turns the mug upside down, taps it. Nothing comes out. “Vee-”

“Here Eddie.” Venom peers into the mug, the mugs peers back rebelliously through yellow-red eyes. “Out, Sleeper.”

Sleeper grumbles, but climbs out of the mug, pooling on the desk and licking himself clean. He’s getting better at listening to them, but when Venom leans down to help clean him, he jerks back, turning away and sliding down the table leg to join his sisters on the floor. And that- that still hurts. So much.

“I’m sorry babe.” Eddie strokes his neck, “He’s got a case of the terrible twos.”

“No.” Venom sighs. “It isn’t him. It’s my fault. He was so young when I sent him away. Scream and Agony- they lived inside me for years. Sleeper doesn’t remember me.” Grief and self hatred bubble up inside him until he feels sick with it.

“Hey- hey no.” Eddie pulls him in, puts a hand on each side of Venom’s face. “None of that. You did everything you could, you kept them safe from Riot and Drake. That doesn’t mean you didn’t love him.”

“That doesn’t mean I didn’t hurt him.” He whispers because Eddie knows this- oh, does Eddie know this, that love doesn’t excuse cruelty.

Eddie stiffens. “Oh, fuck no.” He glances around to make sure no little ears overheard that, his hands tighten on Venom’s face. “You are  _nothing_  like that asshole. That wasn’t love. That was a- a fucking powertrip. Getting off on controlling someone and hurting them when they didn’t play along. Don’t you dare think like that!”

Venom looks away. He only knows what he doesn’t want to be. He’s seen it in Eddie’s head, in his own memories. Spawn cast out to fend for themselves, hurt and lonely, growing hard and cruel in response to hardness and cruelty. The universe is full of abusive parents, but kind ones seem so very rare. Venom wishes he knew what they looked like.

Eddie hesitates. “You know, there  _are_ websites, and books and stuff. Maybe we could do a bit of research, maybe pick up some tips.”

Venom glances back at the children. Sleeper has joined Scream and Agony in the pool- actually a fifty gallon fishtank they’d found on the street. Agony slips free from her chinchilla and dives gracefully into the water, squashing up against the glass and pulling faces at her siblings, making them laugh. When she sees them looking, she swirls up and flips a loop out of the water, a blur of sleek purple.

“That’s amazing, darling.” Eddie smiles, and Agony wriggles in delight. Scream, feeling left out, kicks her host’s legs and gathers herself-

“No!” Venom isn’t sure which of them shouted it- but it’s too late and Scream lands in the tank with a splash.

He’s not sure what part of the piercing cry is Scream, or the host in a panic. They are across the room in a second, scooping the rabbit out of the tank. It kicks and thrashes for a moment before Scream gets it to calm down. She pokes her head free from the rabbit’s back, looking ashamed.

“Rabbits can’t swim, sweetheart.” Eddie finds a dishtowel and wraps the shivering animal in it.

“No hosts in the water.” Venom agrees and touches his face to hers. She leans in, pushing  _sorry just wanted to join in looked fun wanted you to see-_  

“Shh,” Eddie strokes her. “No harm done, but I’m going to need to to stay by the radiator until you dry off, okay?”

She nods, “Check your host over carefully,” Venom continues, because it’s never to early to teach proper host-care. “Particularly the ears, rabbits are delicate.”

She nods, slips back inside and the rabbit huddles down beside the radiator, looking wet and miserable. “Oh well, just part of being a parent, I guess.” Eddie stretches, “Think I can get a bit of work done before the next emergency?”

It’s meant as a joke, but Venom can’t help but flinch. Eddie stops, “Vee?”

He can’t say it at first. “I’m sorry.” He  _isn’t_ , but Venom doesn’t know any better words.

Eddie frowns, picks up his cup and goes to the cupboard for more coffee. “What for? It wasn’t your fault.”

He can’t do this out loud, he slips back inside Eddie.  ** _You didn’t ask for them. You didn’t want this. I didn’t give you a choice._**

“I- wait what? What are we talking about? What didn’t I want?” A flash of fear, “This isn’t going to end with you telling me you’ve snacked on any more organs, is it? Because-”

**_No, nothing like that!_ **

“Good. I know you can regrow them, but that can’t be healthy.” Eddie pours the hot water. “What are you on about?”

He doesn’t want to. He wants to say it’s nothing, curl up inside Eddie and try and forget everything he’s seen in their head, but this is  _them_. No secrets, not any more.  ** _The children. I knew you wouldn’t want this, and I- did it anyway. I’m sorry._**

“Hold on,” Eddie glances back at the children. Scream is inching closer to the tank as Sleeper and Agony swim in patterns inside.”This is about your  _kids?”_

**_I saw your memories. The way you laughed. You never wanted any-_ **

“Whoa whoa-” Eddie waves his hands. “I never said that!”

**_But you-_ **

“Because I’m a  _loser_ , Vee! I’m- Jesus, you saw me when we first got together. I’m a trainwreck. I never-” he breaks off, leaning over the counter. “I never thought I  _should_  have kids. I was scared I’d be a disaster and-” he closes his eyes. “I didn’t exactly have a good role model. If I became- like that-”

“You are not!” Venom pulls his head and arms free, wrapping them around Eddie. “You are- you have been so good to them, Eddie. Such a good father. They love you.” Eddie lifts his head, smiles at Venom and- are those tears? He nuzzles Eddie’s cheek and tastes salt. “Eddie-”

“Nah, it’s okay.” He wipes them off. “That just- means a lot, coming from you. God, Vee, when you first told me about your kids, I thought- I was so scared, but so fucking happy. Annie- she never wanted kids, so I never imagined-” he breaks off, swallows, and gives Venom a tired smile. “Thank you darling.”

Venom doesn’t let go, draws Eddie in until their bodies are pressed together- almost one, but not quite. Just close enough to be perfect. “I love you.”

“Love you too, Vee.”


	16. Fuck you Cates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> anonymous asked: would you consider doing the following prompt (if you would like to. if not that is ok too. i really love your writing but i know not every prompt speaks to every author). what about movie!symbrock briefly meeting their comics counterparts some how xD?

The man’s fist smashes into the boy’s face and Eddie cries out. Venom rears inside him at the shock of adrenaline and they lunge. The man’s eyes widen, his mouth opens in shock- but they’re too fast, it’s too late. 

Their teeth snap tight and blood erupts in Eddie’s mouth. It tastes almost familiar, somehow, but Eddie puts that down to having eaten  _far_ too many people. The boy screams and hurls himself backwards as they chew down through the man’s spine and  _feed._

There’s a flare of pain suddenly, something sharp and grinding latching onto their shoulder. They snarl, drop the twitching remains of the guy and turn to face this new threat-

It’s a dog. Heavy and black and- wrong. Saliva and blood drips from its jaws, eyes empty and white and- Eddie feels something clench, stiff and horrible, in his stomach.  _Vee?_

 _Symbiote_. Venom growls, and any more is lost as the dog leaps at them. Venom catches it in mid-air and oh, so close Eddie can’t pretend it away because he  _knows_  those eyes. Sees them every day, in the mirror, in his arms.  _No_ \- he whispers.

 ** _No!_  **Venom roars. **_Look at it! Mindless! Worthless! Cheap knock off!_** And eats the symbiote-dog.

It tastes of nothing- or rather, they can’t taste it. For the same reason they can’t smell it either. It squirms through their teeth, wriggles down into their stomach and finally- finally stops. The relief they feels isn’t all theirs.

Eddie stumbles as Venom washes back into himself and it’s a terrible fight not to be sick all over the ground. The boy is huddled as far away from them as he can get, staring at them with wide eyes. Eddie wipes the blood and- other stuff, from the dog- off his mouth. “Hey.” He crouches, trying not to look too horrible. “You okay?”

The boy stares at them. “You’re Venom?” He whispers.

Wow, they’re famous. “Yeah.” Eddie gives him a reassuring smile- then realises he’s got bits of flesh stuck between his teeth. Venom pulls free from his shoulder.  _ **We are Venom,**_ he agrees.

“I thought-” the boy looks at the remains of the guy. “He said  _he_  was Venom.”

Oh. Eddie probably should have seen something like this coming. Copy-cat killers, but the symbiote-

 ** _Life industries,_  **Venom says thoughtfully.  _ **They had our genetic** **material**_ ** _. It would not have been hard to make a copy._  **He looks in disgust at the smear of black that’s all that’s left of the dog.  ** _Inferior garbage._**

The boy’s mouth trembles, he wipes furiously at the tears seeping through his swollen eyelid, down his bruised cheek. “I thought- he said he was my  _brother_ \- I believed him-”

“Brother?” Eddie shifts a bit closer.

The boy doesn’t move away. “I’m Dylan. Dylan Brock. He  _lied_.” Eddie’s heart  _hurts_  at the sheer betrayal in that voice. He closes the last few feet, and the boy doesn’t struggle as he puts an arm around his shoulders.

“Hey, hey. I don’t know who the fuck that was. Some fucked up pervert, probably.” The boy shudders and- okay, not the best idea to comfort an abused kid. “But, I’m Eddie Brock. The real one. You can check me up online if you don’t believe me.”

The boy gives a weak smile, leans into the half hug. “I saw you on the show, you look like him. He-” a glance at the half-eaten body. “He said he dyed his hair, grew the beard. He had the symbiote and I thought-” Eddie hugs him closer at the note of self-hatred in his voice.

“That’s pretty convincing.” He says steadily. “I mean, that might even convince  _me_ , and there’s a pretty big problem with that.” Success! He gets a weak smile. “I’ve never had a brother before but- hey we all have to start somewhere.”

He feels the boy slowly relax, little by little. “You sound a lot more like him.” He turns to rest his head on Eddie’s shoulder, then flinches as his wounded eye brushes over Eddie’s jacket. 

“Hey hey, wait a sec-” Venom doesn’t need prompting, washing over Eddie’s arm and over Dylan’s face, soaking into his skin. “You hurt anywhere else?”

He lifts his arm. “Dad.” He says simply.

“Fucker.” Eddie grits his teeth. God, he’d been bad enough with Eddie, but if he’s actually graduated to  _hurting_ his kids- Venom squeezes Eddie gently, comforting, and turns to ease the little bruised bones, the aching tendons. 

“I wanted him to help.” He lets out his breath. “I thought- he was Venom, he could kill Dad. Make him stop for good.” His mouth thins, “He looked- bored. He didn’t give a  _fuck_ -”

“Hey.” Eddie looks at him, keeps looking until Dylan lifts his head and meets his eyes. “There are assholes in the world. And I’m so fucking sorry you met so many of them. But Vee and I? We eat the assholes.”

The boy’s eyes are uncertain. After all of this, he’s wary to trust again.

“So how about you take us to daddy dearest, and Vee and I get an after-dinner snack, okay?”

Finally, he gets a real smile and the boy gets up. “Now?”

“Now.”


	17. A New Kind of Sex Change II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> anonymous  asked: symbrock prompt: "you couldn't have mentioned that earlier?"

[Sequel to this fic](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Farchiveofourown.org%2Fworks%2F16541201%2Fchapters%2F40346918&t=ZDZhMDVmMjE3YjllZTdmZjRkZTM5YmZiNGQwZjhlYzc0ZDgzOWJlMSx1WkttWTV6aA%3D%3D&b=t%3Azcb2Pil2VSwOjfSQpIsJEA&p=http%3A%2F%2Fskull-bearer.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F182299370643%2Fsymbrock-prompt-you-couldnt-have-mentioned&m=0)

“Okay.” Eddie closes his eyes. “I’m- pregnant, right?”

“Yes.” Venom is half melted against him, occasionally squirming in pleasure.

“And- you couldn’t have mentioned it earlier?”

“We did not expect it to happen. Usually, we take your gender. Your people are very malleable.” He slinks down and nuzzles Eddie’s stomach.

“Yeah yeah.” Eddie finds Venom’s head, and strokes him. “You’re lucky I love you.”

“You are carrying my eggs,” Venom purrs, “Of course you love me.”

Eddie stops, eyes snapping open.

“You said- eggs. Of course it’s eggs.”

“You do not lay eggs?”

“No we don’t lay fucking- okay. Okay.” Eddie pulls in a deep breath through his nose, out through his mouth. “I don’t know why I was expecting anything else.”

“I am sorry, Eddie.”

“No, it’s okay. I should probably not be so okay with this, but- I’m the one fucking an alien, I should expect alien eggs.”

“It is very common.” Venom grumbles. “How do you spawn, anyway? You cannot use mitosis.”

“Live babies.” Eddie sits up, and dares to prod at his stomach- is it a bit more swollen than before?

“Live-  _how_?” Venom looks  _offended_. “Where do you keep them?” He noses up Eddie’s chest, over each nipple and- okay, one good thing about eggs, he’s probably not going to get tits. He hopes.

“In here, babe.” Eddie prods his stomach. “Nice and warm.”

“But how do you protect them?” Venom presses against his belly, nuzzling his belly button and tracing the line of hair that makes him shiver. “There are no bones! What if you fall, or something hits you?”

Eddie opens his mouth to say something but- Venom’s got a point. Eggs  _are_  probably safer.

“You see?” Venom settles down, satisfied. “Much better. Your clutch will be safe, and it is very warm in here.”

Eddie wonders what to say to that and just- gives up. This is his life now, and- weird as it is, it’s pretty good.


	18. Deserving of Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> anonymous asked: symbrock open prompt: "“ I don’t deserve to be loved. ” do what u want with it. you're an amazin writer.

_**You do**_ , the voice murmurs in Eddie’s head.  ** _More than anyone we have met._**

Eddie swallows, blinks back tears. Everything inside him is still cold and dead as a forest after a devastating fire, all ash and grit. But there’s something else there now, something warm and sweet as summer rain, tracing its way through him like caressing rivers.

“I’m really not.” He breathes. The other voices are like worms in his head, whispering  _worthless, pathetic, weak, everyone hates you what don’t you just-_

**No!**  But this voice drowns them out, angry and snarling like a big tiger. For a moment, Eddie is sure he can feel its claws in his back, hot breath on the back of his neck, threatening teeth-

_**No, we will not harm you. You are safe, with us.**  _The claws fade, the teeth vanish; Eddie closes his eyes and sinks into the soft, endless embrace like a hug. He imagines drowning in soft fur, black and orange-

**_Just black_.** The voice sounds offended,  ** _No fur._**

\- or maybe like a panther, lean and dangerous. Eddie curled up between its paws, helpless and vulnerable-

_**Acceptable**_. The voice murmurs, so low it’s almost a purr.  ** _Safe now._**

And- Eddie would like to believe it, but all the drugs haven’t managed to silence the other voices; the slinking, cruel, cowardly ones that slip past his big panther and hiss hateful things in his ears-

_Your own mother preferred to die than deal with you_ -

**_Shut up!_  **And oh- there are the teeth, flashing in his head, the snap drowning out the whispers, sending them scuttling back into back of his head, angry and helpless.  _No more of that, we’ll keep them away_.

Eddie closes his eyes and drifts, not quite in sleep. The awful whispers try and crawl back, but his panther is waiting, hungry and eager to bite at them and for the first time in- years, Eddie can  _rest_.

When the bell goes, Eddie actually feels- still tired, he’s always tired, but not as exhausted as he used to be. And the awful dead weight of him seems run through with bits of the panther, threads of strength holding him together, helping him stand, get dressed, brush his teeth, make the bed.

Eddie blinks at himself, his room. He’s- done? The nurse hasn’t even come around to check yet. He can’t remember if he ever finished it on time.

_**Yes,**_  the panther nuzzles the back of his neck.  _We are good, we are strong_.

The knock comes and when Eddie opens the door, the nurse blinks at him in surprise. “Oh- well done, Edward. Come on to breakfast then.”

**_Hungry_. **The panther growls.

“What do you want to eat?” Eddie pulls his hoodie on, “Meat, right? Panthers like meat.”

A pause,  _Not a big cat. We are Venom_.

“I know you’re not.” Eddie continues. A few of the other patients give him curious looks, but he’s hardly the only one mumbling to himself. “You’re a voice in my head, I’ve got a lot of those. What do you want to eat?”

A pause.  _Chocolate_.

“Okay.”

There’s a cup of reasonable cocoa, some cheap chocolate cereal. Eddie normally has to struggle for just coffee and an apple, but his panther- sorry Venom but it helps to think of them like this- must be hungry, because Eddie can feel it, clenched and desperate inside him. They down the cocoa, inhale the cereal almost without breathing, and tip the bowl back to swallow the last few dregs.

He sits back, feeling dazed. His stomach feels bloated, swollen 

_Fat, pathetic lard bucket, stuff your face and bloat like a boil-_

_**Die**._ Venom pounces on the voice, snaps their teeth around its neck and shakes it to pieces.  _Not fat, very thin. Need to eat more, Eddie_.

“Just- gimme a moment.” The fight makes his head pound, the clash of the two images of himself and yes, he knows Venom’s is right- a thin, exhausted guy, shadow under his eyes and clothes hanging off- but the whispers’ image of a swollen obese slob hurts more, so it feels true.

And that image vanishes as Venom eats it too, grumbling to themselves.  ** _Not you. You know it’s not true._**

“I know.” Eddie agrees, taking his tray back, “But feeling beats knowing, and I feel- wrong.”

**_We’ll eat it the feelings until they learn better._ **

Eddie gives a weak smile. “I’m ready to try anything.”

 

* * *

 

“So, who wants to start? How was your morning?”

For once, Eddie puts his hand up.  ** _Eddie?_** Venom nudges him, puzzled.

“Edward?”

“I- got a new voice this morning.” Eddie feels his face flush as everyone looks at him,  _stupid, ridiculous, they all want you to shut up, are gonna laugh-_

Eddie draws in a breath, but Venom chokes off the other voices, and his head is blissfully quiet for a moment. “It’s helping. It’s louder than the other ones.”

“And what is that voice saying, Eddie?” Ms Ruby smiles encouragingly. She wants him to speak and, without the cruel voices, he can see most of everyone else is looking curiously at him.

“They say I’m-” he can’t quite say it, his throat is tight. Tears burn his eyes.  ** _Eddie_ , **Venom runs a paw down his back, and Eddie starts at the touch of claw tips, running down his spine. “That I’m- worth something. Not useless. That I’m-”

**_Worth loving._ **

“Worth loving.” he echoes, feeling tears run hot down his cheeks. 

_Not worth-_ the voices don’t get any further. Venom growls, drowning out any more.

“That’s good!” Ms Ruby smiles. “That’s a very big step forward, Eddie. Does your voice have a name?”

**_You can tell her?_ **

“It’s okay.” Eddie smiles. “Venom. They say their name is Venom.”


	19. Symbabies 6: Nightmares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
>  [](https://the-adventurous-pioneer.tumblr.com/)[the-adventurous-pioneer](https://the-adventurous-pioneer.tumblr.com/) asked: How do parents Venom and Eddie react to their little symbabies having nightmares and needing a parent snuggle?

 

In his sleep, there’s a door that won’t quite close, a high-pitched squealing sound like old hinges. Eddie groans and buries his head under a pillow, trying to drown it out. 

It gets louder, a wet scream like new shoes only a hundred times louder and Eddie jerks fully awake, sitting upright and blinking in the darkness.

There’s faint light filtering through the curtains, picking out the room in shades of grey-yellow. Another cry, high and desperate and very much a  _living_  cry and- oh God, Agony.

She’s in a tiny grey ball, huddled up against the bedpost and trying to crawl into the tiny cavity between mattress and footboard. Her tiny host is trembling all over, making terrified high pitched cries.

“Vee!” Eddie gasps, and reaches out to her and- “ _Fuck!”_  Her teeth sink into his hand, so deep he can see blood. The pain is  _blinding_.

“Agony!” Venom swarms down his arm, sinking through the chinchilla’s fur. The terrified purple eyes flicker black for a moment, and she releases Eddie’s hand.

“Ow.” Eddie examines his hand. Wow, those teeth are  _sharp_. He grabs a handful of tissues from the bedside table and presses it to his hand. “You okay, darling?” 

Venom draws back, washing over his hand and closing off the wound. “She had a bad dream.”

“Oh, sweetheart.” Eddie scoops Agony up and cradles her. Venom lapping at her gently. She doesn’t lash out again, but shivers in his hands, eyes closing. “You’re okay, love, everything’s okay.”

Agony slips free from her host, little by little, nuzzling against Eddie’s hands, winding around Venom’s tendrils. She forms a head and presses up against them, resting against Eddie’s wrist; pulsing in time to his heartbeat.

“You want to come in, darling?” Eddie strokes her. “Want to sleep with your daddies tonight?”

_…yes_.

“Give me a sec, then.” Eddie checks on the other two, but Sleeper and Scream are sleeping soundly at the bottom on the bed in a little tangle of green and black and rabbit. Good. He picks up the chinchilla and carries it out to the little animal pen in the living room. “Okay? Ready to go?”

Agony hesitates, then pulls free from her host, sinking into Eddie’s skin. The chinchilla twitches, and sits up. Eddie puts it in the pen, and it sits still a moment, then pads over to the foodbowl and starts munching on hay. Being a host doesn’t seem to have fazed it at all.

“You’re looking after her very well.” Eddie smiles, and shuffles into the kitchen.

**_We are so proud of you_ ,** Venom agrees, and Eddie can feel her curling up inside him, huddling against Venom.

Eddie starts making a big cup of hot chocolate. “Here we go, comfort food.”

He feels Agony press against the surface of his skin, pooling bright purple but not quite pushing out. “Its okay.” Eddie coaxes her.

_**You are safe**_ , Venom traces black patterns around the purple, pushing free from Eddie’s skin.  _No one will hurt you_.

Eddie pours the cup of thick, steaming chocolate. He blows on it and waits. “It smells so good.” He smiles and takes a sip. “Mmmm.”

The skin of his arm pulses, raising into a bump, then falling flat again. “Oh dear,” Eddie dips his fingers into the chocolate, and lets a few drops fall on his forearm. “I’ve spilled some.”

**_Cheat_.** Venom smiles against his collarbone.  ** _Clever_.**

Finally, Agony breaks the skin, lapping up the hot chocolate. “There you are.” Eddie proffers the cup, but she’s still hesitant. Venom dips his head in and drinks, and she finally leans in and swallows down mouthful after mouthful of the chocolate.

“Good girl.” Eddie strokes her. “You’re doing so well, darling.”

_… scared,_ she whispers in their head.

“It’s okay. Nothing here can hurt you.”

**_And we will eat anyone who tries_.**

Another shiver. Agony finishes the cup, and slips back inside him. Eddie walks back to the bed and lies down, curling up under the covers. “There we go, my loves.” He closes his eyes. “Nice and warm and safe.”

_…safe_.

“That’s right.”

**_Safe with us._ **

Agony is wrapped somewhere inside his chest cavity, Eddie can just about feel her when he breathes in too deeply. But he can feel the radiating fear still making her tremble. “You want to talk about it?” Although Agony is only just getting a grasp on words.

But she doesn’t need to. Instead, the thoughts come in a wave of emotion and pictures and terror, overwhelming as though Agony had been desperate to share from the very beginning. Darkness and cold, huddled and hiding inside Venom as they crouch, half frozen and terrified as Riot stalks past them. His eyes rake over them and for a moment Venom is convinced he  _knows_ , he can see through Venom to Agony and find her and tear her from him and- and-

And Agony, so small and new-born and not understanding anything. Agony, to whom everything was fear and terror, hungry teeth and claws waiting to devour her.

“Oh love.” Eddie closes his eyes and wraps his arms around themselves. “He’s gone, darling. We killed him.”

_…dead?_

Venom presses the memory through to them, Riot trapped in the rocket and burning, going up in flames. The memory was carefully edited to hide how badly  _they_  had been hurt, but Agony presses close to the images, hungry and devouring.

_…dead?_  A little more hopeful.

“Totally dead.” Eddie agrees, “We’ll keep you safe, darling.”

**_We are bigger and scarier than anyone else on this planet_.** Venom grins.  ** _And you will be too, dear one._**

Agony pauses for a moment, then pushes an image of her own. Her in her chinchilla host, but- a hundred times bigger, something out of Night of the Lepus only with chinchillas.  _…me?_

Eddie chuckles, sending back the same image of the giant chinchilla, with him and Vee as Venom, and Scream and Sleeper in giant versions of themselves.  _Us._

_…good_. Agony says finally, and finally relaxes inside him into sleep.


	20. Amnesia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
>  anonymous asked: symbrock prompt: temporary amnesia trope. bonus if eddie has to talk venom out of eating him/his organs. also i love all these prompts you've been filling. you are so talented!!!

 

“Please don’t eat me.” He backs up against the wall, staring at the-  _thing_  in front of him. His head is splitting with pain.

The creature shivers, as though it had felt that thought. “We will not eat you,” it rumbles.

He freezes. “You can talk?”

It is silent for a moment, the massive jaw moving, but no sound comes out. He stares at the needle sharp teeth, hypnotised. “Of course we can talk.” It says at last. “Eddie,  _please_.”

It’s so soft, so trembling. It  _hurts_  coming from such a terrible creature. He grits his teeth and groans in pain as his head throbs in agony, like a hacksaw working in the back of his brain. 

The creature tries to come closer, massive claws scraping the ground but he cringes back, pulling his knees up to his chin and it stops. “We won’t hurt you!” The creature wails. “We  _cannot_  hurt you.”

“Look at your teeth!” He wails. “You could- tear my head off with those!”

And just like that, the teeth are gone. The lean, dark head is now no more than two huge, blinking white eyes on the bullet-shaped skull. His breathing catches, a spear of pain flashing behind his eyes, but his death grip on his own knees relaxes a little. “And the claws?”

The claws vanish, and this time he can see them go. They melt back inside the creature, leaving the blunt nubs of fingers. he exhales slowly, letting his hands drop to the ground. “You’re still a bit big.” He feels a bit rude, a bit silly but his heart is still racing inside his chest, his head hammers with every beat, louder and agonisingly painful.

And the creature shrinks down to a lean, slippery snake-form, its toothless head perks up, eyes wide and desperate for approval- is this right? It’s this okay?

“Yeah.” He breathes. “You’re okay.” He reaches out a hand.

The creature starts forwards lightning fast- and stops dead as he jerks back. It wants to come to him, he can see it rippling with desperate  _want_ , but it holds itself back, moving very slowly and deliberately, little by little closing the gap between them.

And he- he  _wants_  it too. Every inch it moves closer he feel the pain build inside his head, splitting with pain, but somehow, he knows that it is the cure for the pain too. The creature shivers, hisses. “You’re hurting too?” He whispers and chokes as it finally comes close enough to touch.

His head feels like it’s cracking open, about to burst. His eyesight is fading in veils of red as he finally throws himself forwards, hands outstretched to find the threading coils of the creature-

And the world explodes in a supernova of white.

——————————————————————————————–

Eddie’s head is raw. Not painful but full of fast-fading pain. He cracks an eye open and winces at the light- but that pain vanishes too.

He’s lying face down in the alleyway, a pool of foul-smelling vomit by his head where he must have thrown up at some point. Eddie sits up unsteadily and looks around.

Oh wow.

His motorbike is totaled,  _again_. The whole front of it has been bashed in, wheels buckled almost triangular. Eddie can smell the petrol under the reek of vomit.

There’s a smear of blood against the far wall of the alley, the bricks badly cracked and crumbling. The fragments of his helmet are scattered across the tarmac. Eddie touches his head gingerly. His hair is sticky with blood, but the wound is long gone. “Vee?”

_Eddie?_  Venom pulls out of him, eyes wide. “You know us?”

Eddie blinks. “Of course I know you, sweetheart. Did you hit your head?”

“No.” He can feel the surge of relief that runs through Venom at that. “You did.” Venom looks at the wall. That- really is a lot of blood. “You nearly died.” He murmurs.

“You saved me.” Eddie smiles, and gathers Venom into his arms. “Thank you, darling.” He kisses him.

Venom doesn’t move at first. “Do you remember what happened?”

Eddie pauses, tries to recall. Things are a little- uncertain. “We went out for dinner,” He starts, “We ate and- I don’t remember after that.”

“There was a cat.” Venom nuzzles him, “You tried to avoid it, and the bike crashed. You hit the wall.” He shudders. “There was- a lot of blood.”

“I’m fine, love.”

“I tried to heal you, but- you didn’t know us. You didn’t know  _you_. You were scared of us.”

“Hey- no no.” Eddie kisses him again. “I love you.”

“You were  _gone_.” Venom whispers, “You were alive but- gone anyway. You were lost.”

“And I’m right here now.” Eddie says firmly.

Finally, Venom nods. “You were bleeding in your brain. I fixed it and you woke up.”

“See, you saved me. I have the best husband, sexy and beautiful and a brain surgeon.” He kisses Venom again.

This time, he gets a weak chuckle, and Venom leans against him, huffing. “My husband thinks he can take down a wall with his head.”

“You knew I was a loser when you married me.”

That gets a proper laugh, and a warm kiss in return.


	21. Asexual Venom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>   ** ******anonymous   asked: Venom prompt if you’re still taking them: something about the two of them dealing with differences in sexual drive and desire? Like maybe Anne always initiated and Venom never does and Eddie trying to deal with a sense of feeling unwanted?

“But we do want you.” Venom looks confused. He never used to look this confused, but seems to be making a habit of it in this conversation.

Eddie sighs, running his fingers through his hair for the thousandth time. It must be sticking up everywhere by now. “But you don’t  _need_  me, that’s what I mean.”

“Of course we need you!” Venom half wails, “We would  _die_  without you, Eddie!”

“Not like that!” Oh fuck, how is Eddie supposed to explain any of this? “I mean I- I need you. I  _want_ you. Sexually. I want to have sex with you, and you don’t.”

“But we do.” Venom slumps in his arms. He’s so lost, he doesn’t understand. “Of course we want to-”

“You want to because I do.” Eddie says finally. “To make me happy and- satisfied and all that mammalian stuff. If I didn’t want to have sex, would you?”

Venom pauses, doesn’t answer at once. Eddie closes his eyes. He knows the answer. Oh, it’s no hardship for Vee, it’s not like he doesn’t  _like_  sex, but it’s just- an Eddie thing. Like eating back guys is a Vee thing. And Eddie doesn’t mind eating bad guys, it’s fun, and Venom needs the food. But sex-

It’s not just the physical part of it. If Eddie wanted that he’d keep it between him and his right hand. He wants to be wanted. He wants to know the person he’s with looks at him with desire.

Annie had, Annie’s eyes would just- light up, every time he took his shirt off. God, it felt  _so good_.

“And we cannot do that.” Venom looks away, and Eddie feels a bolt of self-loathing that isn’t his.  _Just a small thing, that Eddie wants, such a small thing and he couldn’t even do that-_

“Hey hey, no.” Eddie pulls him close. “Don’t think like that. It’s not your fault.” He sighs. “It’s not anyone’s fault.”

For a moment, he wishes they weren’t so close. It’s the best and dearest thing they have, their connection, but just for this, it would be better to have some space. They could pretend, not ask the awkward questions and try and ignore the reality in front of them-

**_Wouldn’t have worked, Eddie._ **

“Nah.” Eddie agrees. “No wonder I fuck up relationships.”

“We could-” Venom can barely get the words out and it’s  _killing_  him, but, “If you want. We could go- there are people. Like us. Who aren’t interested. We read about them. We could- go. You wouldn’t have to-”

“No!” Eddie  _yells_ , hands tightening on Venom, in case he tried even now to pull away. “Hell fuck no. I don’t want- I want you  _here_ , I never want to you to-” He swallows, because what if Venom does? “If you wanted to-” he whispers. “If it would work better for you-”

“No!” But Venom is sliding into his arms, huddling against his chest, warm and slick in his hands. “Never, Eddie. Only you.”

Eddie nods, and feels the awful panic slowly bank in his stomach, fading to cool shivers. “I love you.” Eddie whispers.

“I love you too, Eddie.” Venom lifts his head and presses his mouth to Eddie, he  _loves_  this, at least. Kissing is a revelation to Vee, but sex-

Well, he doesn’t even have the parts for it, the nervous system for arousal, and even if he did, that’s still no guarantee. Plenty of people don’t feel sexual attraction.

“If you wanted to,” Venom murmurs, almost too low to hear, as if Eddie can’t feel the word reverberate in the chambers of his heart, “You could find someone else. Just for sex. We wouldn’t mind, as long as it was  _just_  sex, nothing else.”

Eddie shakes his head, for him at least, it was never  _just_  sex. “It’s okay. I’ll be okay.” He’s had dry spells before, and they didn’t bother him too much. “If you can put up with porn and me jerking off now and then.”

“We still want to help.” Venom looks at him pleadingly, wide white eyes adorable in his sleek head. “You are beautiful in pleasure, Eddie, we can feel that, we want to see it.”

Eddie smiles, “I think we can work something out.”


	22. Rescue II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> anonymous asked: Hello! I love your symbrock fics, especially 'Rescue'. It really broke my heart seeing V. like this. Could you please continue the story? Maybe about some healing period when Venom is coming back to their full mental capacity or realisaition that they will never be like they were before?

 

 Sequel to[ this fic](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Farchiveofourown.org%2Fworks%2F16541201%2Fchapters%2F40436303&t=Zjk2ZTVjYzU4MDlhMDNkODZjODg5ODAwMzllOTA4ZGFmOTFlMmUyMyxqQ0k3WlA3dQ%3D%3D&b=t%3Azcb2Pil2VSwOjfSQpIsJEA&p=http%3A%2F%2Fskull-bearer.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F183317393893%2Fhello-i-love-your-symbrock-fics-especially&m=0).

“Stay inside,” Eddie backs away slowly. “It’s okay, I’ve got a lot of water, not very flammable.”

Venom shudders against his liver, huddling under it like a child with a comfort blanket. Eddie draws in a breath, and throws the match.

It isn’t an explosion, not in sound anyway. Just a big, overwhelming  _whoomp_  too loud to be actual sound, and a blast of heat that throws them back and burns Eddie’s eyebrows. “Okay! Okay!” Venom is panicking inside him, lashing and clawing up his ribcage like a cat up a tree. “Getting out now. Come on starlight, let’s blow this popsicle stand.”

By the time they break through the fences and stagger out a safe distance, LIFE Foundations is burning. Eddie closes his eyes and draws in breath after breath, scented with sea spray and the lightly falling rain. “Come out, love, the air’s lovely.”

And slowly,  _oh so slowly it hurts_ , Venom pushes out. His sleek skin is pocked as though eaten away, his eyes filmed over and blinking and blinking in the rain. He ripples as the water courses over him, flinches where it touches the wounds.

“If you need anything-” Eddie reaches out, gently running fingers over him, tracing around the wounds, “I mean, I can regrow part of my liver, right? And a kidney, I’ve got two. No one uses an appendix, so that’s good-”

_**“Eddie.”**_ Venom rumbles, and his voice is stronger, clearer. He blinks, and his eyes are already clearly.  **“ _Oh Eddie, thank you_.”**

Eddie stops, hesitates. “You’re- feeling better, darling? Thinking a bit clearer?”

**_“Yes,”_**  and oh, the sheer  _relief_  steals his breath. _ **“Not as before, not yet, but- better.”**_

“Oh, thank  _God_.” Eddie pulls him in and hugs him, Venom pressing his face against his cheek. “I love you. Thank God, Thank God.”

_**“Said you wouldn’t care.”**  _He feels Venom smile.  _ **“Said you’d be happy anyway.”**_

“Oh, bullshit.” Eddie wipes the tears away. “I’d love you forever, starshine. Anything, as long as you’re happy.”

**_“I love you.”_  **Venom relaxes into his arms, winding around Eddie in return, holding each other.  ** _“Never leave you, Eddie.”_**

“Never, my love.” Eddie glances back at the burning building. “Now, lets get out of here before someone realises we torched the place.”

_**“Annie?”** _

“Yeah, she’ll cover for us.”

**_“Annie and- Dan. It was Dan, right?”_ **

“Yeah sweetheart, well done. It was Dan. And Mr Belvedere, but he’s the cat.”

**_“Good. Still hungry.”_ **

Eddie grins, running down to the water, sweet air, clear water. Together. Freedom.


	23. Gameshow AU 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> cool-taya asked: Could you do a first date fic after Eddie and Venom meet on the game show?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sequel to [this fic.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16541201/chapters/40854527)

The next stage is little five minute flash dates. Eddie tries his best, but he finds himself glancing more and more often at the timer as the dates go on, and it starts to really sink in that there’s only one date he’s looking forward to.

After his third not-quite-so subtle check of the timer, Brunnhilde sits back in her chair and sighs. “You don’t need to worry, the Klyntar’s next.”

Eddie flushes because- okay, that was rude, and also- he really,  _really_  doesn’t want to piss off someone with muscles like that. “Sorry.”

“Strange to see one so far from home,” she muses, “the only ones who tend to travel are rogues- and they are much nastier.”

Eddie, damn him, perks up. “You know something about-” he breaks off because- yeah. Discussing another date with someone he’s supposed to be on a date with is- well, he’d probably deserve getting broken over her knee.

But he just gets a tolerant smile. “Some, not much, mostly in stories. The rogues are bad news, but this bunch-” she pauses, looks him up and down, something evaluating in her eyes. “When they find the right person, that can be special. Are you sure you’re not a warrior?”

Eddie blinks, “Uh, no. I’m a reporter. You know, Brock report?”

She shrugs, and the timer goes. “Well, that’s up to them. I’m sure you’ll find out when you bond.” She gets up.

Eddie starts up too, “Wait, what! Bond?”

But she just smiles and swaggers out- really,  _fuck_  Asgardians. The timer is stopped, the chair is pulled away and Eddie feels his heart rate pick up and- really? He’s really getting nerves over this? He quickly wipes his hands on his pants and sits up straight, trying not to look too eager as Venom is pushed in.

They are still in the same chair, and this close, Eddie can see that they are wearing- some kind of clear suit, a bit like a bubble. Some kind of environmental suit, Eddie realises, and can’t help but feel disappointed. He’d hopes they could- well, a kiss would have been nice to try, even with those teeth-

And he gets a full frontal view of those teeth as Venom smiles. Broad and wide and so utterly happy that Eddie feels something bright and warm light up inside him, and no matter how many or how sharp those teeth are- he doesn’t care.

“Hi,” it comes out a bit too soft, almost a whisper. “Nice to meet you.”

“ _ **Eddie**_.” Venom purrs his name like they’re savoring it. “ ** _We have come a long way to meet you.”_**

_“_ I heard about it.” Eddie tries a smile, it comes out okay. “You come from- Klyntar, is that your world?”

“ _ **Yes- no**.” _They pause, hesitate. “ _We came from Klyntar, but we were not born there. We came one a comet, a long time ago_.”

“Is that why- the suit?” Eddie waves at it. And Venom presses a tentacle against the plastic, it stretches around a tentacle, reaching out to Eddie, halfway across the table.

**_“Yes. The oxygen. It burns. But I wanted to come here anyway. Your planet is so beautiful, and I knew you would be worth the journey.”_ **

Eddie’s mouth dries. He looks down at the tentacle, resting there, just a touch away. “Why me?”

**“You are special.”** Venom says simply. _ **“I knew when I saw you. You felts right. I knew we would be right.”**_

“Right for what?”  _Bonding_ , Brunnhilde had said. Beside them, the timer is ticking down, and Eddie has no awareness of it. “There’s seven million people here, I’m nothing special.”

**“ _You are for me_.”** And fuck but that should not feel as good as it did. “ ** _We would be so good, Eddie. You and I, Venom.”_**

And he should really be freaking out. It should be creepy, should be weird but- it isn’t. Maybe because Venom is so  _alien_ , everything is so strange that this is just- part of it. He swallows. “And if I say no?”

And Venom recoils, shrinking inside his suit. The tentacle starts to pull away, but Eddie reaches out and catches it in both hands, pressing it between his palms. It’s soft, firm and warm.

Venom stops, and the tentacle moves gently, stroking over his wrists.  **“** _ **Do you want to?** ” _They say finally.

“No.” Eddie squeezes the tentacle gently. “But this is- a bit fast, for my people.”

“ _ **Oh.** ”_ Those huge white eyes blink and that is so adorable, it should be illegal. “ ** _What would you like to do?”_**

Eddie hesitates- and the timer goes.  _Fuck_. “We’re not finished!” He snaps to the film crew about to wheel Venom away. “How about another date?” The tentacles winds around his wrist. “Maybe- without the suit?”

And another smile, huge and dazzling. “ ** _We can sort something out.”_**


	24. Symbabies 7: Little Symbiote Lost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
>  
> 
> [](http://v01d-ch1ld.tumblr.com/)[v01d-ch1ld](http://v01d-ch1ld.tumblr.com/)  asked: As for the series with V and Eddie taking care of the symbabies I have a request. After everyone gets settled, Eddie has a friend of his over. Kind of like a family friend's kid from way back who moved to San Francisco for circumstances (emancipated) and their 16 year old queer ass needs a place to stay for a bit. As soon as she walks through the door Agony leaps out of her host and into her, the resounding freak out, and the decision to let her stay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Apologies since this isn’t quite what you asked for)

It was starting to dawn on Sleeper that he may have gone a bit too far this time.

It had just been- a point he’d wanted to make. To show them he wasn’t a  _child_ , a whimpering human infant, unable to do anything but eat and crawl and foul himself.

They had been in the stroller, crossing from one platform to the other. And Sleeper had  _known_  where they were going. It was _obvious_ , he didn’t need to stay int he stroller with the other babies. 

So he’d hopped out, his host’s strong legs carrying him easily across the platform, turning his host’s sensitive ears away from the cries from his parents.

Then he’d jumped into the train, and the doors had closed, and they were gone.

His host’s eyes were weak, and Sleeper didn’t dare poke his head out to see with his own. He had no idea where they were going, but with every moment, his parents were falling further and further away.

He could do this. He- had done this before, right? The weeks in LIFE Foundation, when their parent had  _abandoned them_. But even then, there’d been Agony and Scream, and he’d known the place.

He doesn’t know this one. The trains slows to a grinning halt and a voice warns for all passengers to disembark. Sleeper hovers, helplessly under a seat as the endless rows of feet clatter away.

If he stays, maybe his parents will find him. But maybe if he goes out, they’ll meet him on the way-

The lights in the train go out, and Sleeper dashes for the doors before he’s really aware of moving.

It’s the host. Stupid rabbit must be scared of the dark. He isn’t scared, not at all.

But it’s getting dark outside, the light turning from sunlight to dark gold as the streetlights come on. Sleeper wanders up the platform, and down again. It’s emptying fast, and he’s alone.

He- he wants his parents. Big, soft Eddie, warm and cuddly and holding him soft and safe. And even his other parent, welcoming coils slick and close, murmuring that they’re  _here_  and no one will ever hurt them again.

Sleeper lowers his head to his paws and wails, soft and squeaking. A low roar catches in his long ears, and he turns to see a floor-cleaning growling towards him. Sleeper tenses, he’s got to stay, he can’t run, has to stay so his parents can find him-

It comes closer, closer, so close the rabbit’s whisker tremble from the blast, and he breaks, bolts and runs and runs and runs until the world blurs into senseless colour and the host’s instincts envelop him complete and blind.

He comes back to himself some unknown time later, the little rabbit’s heart’s pounding ready to burst, sucking in air desperately. He has no idea where he is.

The street is dark and empty, rows of identical houses stretching away on either side as far as he can see. He’s crouched under a hedge, among the dead leaves and trash. A car passes by, a low engine moan and gone.

“Parents,” Sleeper whispers. “Where are you?” His voice is a squeaking wail.

As thought just adding to his misery, it starts to rain, a low, miserable drizzle haloing the streetlights, and damping his fur.

His host cannot cry, but Sleeper puts his head on his paws, and does his best anyway.


	25. How to Befriend the Monster Under Your Bed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> kooriicolada _a prompt i guess if you’re still taking them?  I’d love to see a Venom AU based around this post:  https://writing-prompt-s.tumblr.com/post/181750879625/how-to-befriend-the-monster-under-your-bed_
> 
>  
> 
> _the way you write Symbrock is just… my absolute favorite <3_  
> 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
>  
> 
> **Thank you to @[hgk477](http://hgk477.tumblr.com/post/181740327689) for coming up with this prompt.**  
> 

Eddie scuttles out of his room, clutching the textbook to his chest. Slows and flattens himself against the wall, his breathing coming fast, his heart pounding against his chest.

He opens the book, checks the list.

_If pitch black shadows darker than dark creep up on the walls, leave immediately. It’s not your room anymore._

Eddie closes his eyes and slumps back against the wall. Not his room. He wants to cry. The book slips from his hand and cracks hard on the ground. He jumps, catches his breath- and the stairs creak.

Oh please no.

Eddie hesitates, eyes darting from the staircase to his bedroom door. But given the choice between being in the monster’s room, or being in Carl Brock’s house-

He hurries back down the corridor as Carl makes his unsteady, drunken way up the stairs. Hesitates for a moment, hands pressed against his door.

It pulses under his hands like a heart, black slicking up under his fingertips.

Eddie swallows, and pulls the door open, ducking inside with his eyes screwed shut.

Nothing happens.

He can hear Carl stop a few feet outside his door, breathing heavily. Drunk. Please don’t come in please please please-

And Carl turns, feet scraping rough on the worn carpet. The creak of his door, closing with a click.

And silence, nothing but-

But the rustle of the walls, the pulse of a heartbeat through the room. Inside, something moves, a creak too far away to fit in the space. Eddie’s hands clench into fists, then he forces them to relax, tries to remember the book, something he could  _do_ -

_Read bedtime stories to your monster._

Eddie sucks in a breath, it tastes like new pennies, like blood. “Do you want a story?”

There’s a pause, and Eddie flinches as something scuttles over his fingers like a a tangle of spiders. “Once upon a time,” Eddie starts, “There was a-” his mind is blank, he can’t think. “A beautiful princess. She was wise, and kind, and loved her children so much.”

The breathing deepens, Eddie can feel the door ripple against his back, soften as though welcoming him. When he pauses, there’s a little nudge, it wants more.

“But her prince was- cold, and sad. He lived so long in darkness, and although the princess brought him the sun, he was still- far away. The princess tried to warm him, to warm them all, she tried so hard…”

**_What happened then?_ **

The words reverberate through him, not quite hearing but deeper, his whole body thrumming through it. “She died.” Eddie whispers, his mouth dry. “And the sun fell away, and everything was dark.”

**_Oh, that is sad._ **

“The prince closed himself away, little by little, in smaller and smaller places, until finally he crawled inside a bottle, and there wasn’t anything left of him but broken glass.”

**_And the children?_ **

“The children were alone, they had each other to begin with, but then one of them grew up, and went away to find the sun elsewhere, and the boy was left alone.”

 _ **Alone**_. A murmur, over and over,  ** _alone alone alone. Are you alone, Eddie?_**

Eddie licks his lips. “Yeah.”

**_We are alone too._ **

Eddie takes a deep breath.  _Leave an arm, any arm, dangling from your bed._

He reaches out a hand into the void of his room, and finally dares to open his eyes.

His room is awash in black, bubbling over everything like a waterfall of pitch. It runs down from under his bed, over it, pools on the floor and ebbs, slowly, so slowly, towards Eddie.

Eddie grits his teeth, fights to stay still, not run. His hand trembles in the air as the monster inches closer.

Slowly, so slowly and is it- is it  _worried_? Is it scared of him? Eddie licks his lips, “It’s okay.”

The monster slips closer, mounds itself up into a stalagmite of black, coming up to touch his hand. Eddie forces himself not to move, to drop his hand down a little to meet the monster halfway.

It’s warm, and soft, like firm jelly. It pulses under his hand in little bursts of heat, then trickles up his arm.

Eddie jerks back, he can’t help it. The monster stops, and Eddie swallows, and reaches back out. “It’s okay.” He repeats.

It runs up, over his arm, over his shoulder and down his chest and he’s  _warm_ , soft as worn flannel, tight as a comforting hug. Eddie blinks back tears he hadn’t realised had been welling up. No one had touched him so gently since Mary gave him that last hug before vanishing on that greyhound bus and gone forever.

 _ **Eddie**_. The voice is a voice now, deep and rumbling in the back of his head.  ** _Not alone now._**

No. And it feels so good Eddie isn’t sure what to do. The monster book never said anything about this.

But it does give him an idea about what to do next. 

_Offer food once in a while._

“He should be asleep now. Do you want something to eat?”

**_HUNGRY_ **

 


	26. Symbabies 8- New Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>  
> 
> anonymous  asked: More symbabies please? I love your ficlets!
> 
>  

The gravel beside the hedge crunches and two worn trainers shuffle into view. Sleeper tenses, trying to scoot back further under the hedge.

The shoes shift, one threadbare knee comes into view, and then a large dark eye.

Sleeper whimpers softly to himself, tensing to run-

The eye blinks, then drops down a bit further- the dirty face of a young boy. He makes soft little squeak-kissing noises, rubs his fingers together.

It’s not- threatening. Not yet, anyway. Sleeper shivers, it’s still raining outside. He doesn’t want to run.

“Here bunny.” The boy reaches very slowly under the hedge, still rubbing his fingers together. “It’s okay.”

Sleeper’s nose twitches, it don’t mean anything to him- but the host wants to come closer- the little fingers suggest the boy has food, and the rabbit is hungry.

He hesitates, but when the boy’s hands stretch in almost far enough to touch his fur, he scuttles back into the roots of the bush.

“Okay.” The hand pulls away. “Just stay here.”

He stands up, and the tatter trainers crunch away. Sleeper huffs in relief, suddenly aware of how fast his little rabbit’s heart is beating. The host stirs fretfully in the back of their mind. It’s  _hungry_ , it’s never gone so long without hay.

There’s a little wispy grass under the bush. Sleeper gives it a tentative nibble, it’s tasteless and stringy, and the rabbit looks longingly at the thick lawn just beyond the hedge.

There’s a clatter of pebbles, and the trainers are back. Sleeper shoots back into the roots, huddling down in the shadows.

“I’m here.” The boy sounds out of breath. “Just thought- you might be hungry? And rabbits like vegetables?”

He kneels down again, and reaches his hand out- not as far in as before, but Sleeper’s nose twitches at the strange, faintly alien smell.

But not alien to the host’s mind.

_Food_.

The boy opens his hand, revealing a few slightly crushed lettuce leaves. “We didn’t have any carrots.” Apologetic.

The host desperately wants to lean in and nibble. Sleeper hovers; is this safe? People wouldn’t be giving food to animals they wanted to kill, right? But what about- poison?

He really wants his parents here.

“It’s okay.” The boy whispers, “You can eat, it’s safe.”

He remembers Eddie gently moving him out of the way of a cluster of bottles- ‘ah-ah, that’s poisonous. Not safe, not for kiddies.’

Poison isn’t for children to use, so the lettuce is probably safe. Sleeper shuffles forwards, far enough to lean in and snatch a mouthful.

It’s wet and floppy, slippery between his teeth. Sleeper grimaces, but the rabbit is delighted, munching and munching, and when the boy’s hand moves away, just a little, they shift forwards to keep eating.

Back and back and suddenly Sleeper stops. They’re out in the open, on the gravel. The boy is squatted beside them, adding little strips of lettuce to the pile in his hand.

“It’s okay.” And his voice is soft, gentle. He’s not his parents, but- it’s soothing all the same, and Sleeper really, really wants to believe everything is okay right now.

The boy’s free hand lowers, and touches them on the shoulders. Both Sleeper and the rabbit freeze, but the boy doesn’t grab them, doesn’t hurt. His hand is gentle, running through their fur in gentle strokes.

“‘m not gonna hurt you.” The boy continues, stroking them over and over, pausing the scratch behind their ears. It feels  _so good_ , almost like being held by Venom and Eddie, Sleeper slumps down, rolls on his side and closes his eyes. The panic is fading, and under it, he’s  _exhausted._

They hear the coming rain before they feel it, a low rhythmic beat on the roofs and tree leaves. The heavy drops splash on their ears, on the soft coat of underfur at their belly. Sleeper starts up, trying to fluff up his rapidly soaking fur.

The boy pulls up his coat to shield them. “Hey,” he whispers. “Want to come in with me? It’s dry in there, and I can get you more food.”

Sleeper looks up and down the street. A car passes in a haze of rain, slashing up a wave of gutterwater. No Venom, no Eddie. They can’t stay here all night.

He hops closer to the boy, and when he reaches down, doesn’t try to run. The boy picks them up gently, one arm under their bottom, bracing all four paws on his chest. It’s- not great, but okay, and the boy is warm and dry.

“Well done.” The boy whispers, and hurries into the house.

They clatter in through the front door, and Sleeper catches a glimpse of a dark room, a chair and the shimmering screen of a TV- then they’re going up the stairs at top speed. The boy ducks through a door, and quickly closes it behind them.

“Okay.” He whispers, and switches on the light. Sleeper blinks as the sudden blaze of light hurts their eyes.

It’s a small bedroom, a bed half hidden under old clothes, more clothes strewn over the floor. A little desk is huddled by the window, buried in books. The boy shoves the clothes off his bed, and makes a little nest in the blankets. “Here, it’s warm, I’ll just go and-”

“BOY!” A roar from downstairs.

The boy tenses,  “Just- stay here, okay? I’ll- sort something out-”

“GET DOWN HERE!”

The boy puts them in the nest, strokes them again quickly. “I’ll be right back. I’ll get you more lettuce, okay?”

“DO YOU WANT ME TO FETCH YOU?”

“NO, DAD!” The boy yells back. “Just- don’t move, please. If he sees you-” he winces. “I won’t be long-”

“GET THE FUCK DOWN HERE DYLAN.”


	27. Deserving of Love II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

>  anonymous  asked:I've been having a really hard time with mental illness (fucking bipolar disorder, every time I think it's under control, it comes back with a vengeance), and just read your Symbrock "voices" story and WOW I needed that. Thank you so much for bringing it into existence and sharing it with us.

It as though someone had been holding him by the throat for years, tight and crushing for years, and for the first time since he could remember, that grip had loosened.

 

_**Good, Eddie**_ , Venom murmurs as Eddie spoons up the chocolate yogurt.  _Tasty, feels good_.

And- it does. He isn’t too mad about the over-sweet taste, but after eating it there’s a sort of warm bloom inside his head, like the sun briefly breaking through the clouds.

“Ms Ruby wants to talk to you, Eddie,” one of the aids leans over their table. 

He’s never bothered to learn their names before, it seemed like too much effort when everything was so... heavy, but now it seems a bit rude, Eddie peers at her nametag,  _Debra_. Eddie gives her a smile and it even seems to come out right. “Okay.”

“She’s in her office.”

Eddie stacks away his plates, and is halfway down the hallway before it occurs to him he used to be scared. The other voices in his head should be gloating at him, delighting in the trouble he would be in, of what terrible things Ms Ruby would say to him.

 _ **No,**  _Venom purrs, **_No more, never any more now, Eddie_. **

He sounds smug, and Eddie wonders if he’s finally managed to eat the other voices, pictures Venom curled up warm and satisfied inside his head, licking his claws and gloating over his meal.

 _Yes_.

Eddie blinks back tears and hugs himself, hopes Venom can feel it too. “Thank you.”

 _Safe with us, Eddie_.

Eddie nods, and pushes Ms Ruby’s door open.

Ms Ruby gives him a bright and truly happy smile as he comes in. “Ah, Eddie. Come and sit down, please.”

Eddie shuffles in and slides into the chair, pulling up a knee and hugging it.

“How do you think things have been, Eddie?”

Eddie frowns a little, “Good?” Because- it has been good. He’s been  _sleeping_  and eating properly for the first time in years. Venom is a warm and comforting weight in the back of his mind.

“I think it’s been a bit more than good, hasn’t it, Eddie?”

“Yes?” He’s not sure where she’s going with this.

“This isn’t a trick, Eddie. I do want to know.”

Eddie looks away, feels Venom rumble in pleasure inside him. “Yes.” He says more firmly. “It’s been- it’s been really good.”

“Good, because I want to consider moving you to our out-patient list.”

Eddie freezes, and the terror seizes him by the throat. The world outside gapes open and endless and bleak as the endless winter sea and he can’t he can’t  _he can’t_ -

“Eddie!”

**_EDDIE!_ **

And Venom just- floods through him, all heat and comfort as a hug over every inch of his body, and it feels so sweet and  _good_  Eddie nearly bursts into tears here and there.

“Okay, Eddie, it’s okay.” Ms Ruby pats his shoulder, “You’ve been doing so well, Eddie, think about your studies? Don’t you want to go back to university, and finish your degree?”

Eddie looks at his hands, those days seem so far away. Like they belonged to someone else. There’s an ache, though, deep inside. His old, worn out dreams of being a reporter, so distant they might as well be on the moon.

 _Can do it, Eddie_ , Venom nudges inside his head,  _Together_.

And- that’s another problem. “I’m not better, thought.” Eddie mumbles, and prods his head. “I’ve still got voices- a voice, anyway.”

“This is Venom, yes?” She sits back down, smiling.

“Yeah.” Eddie’s heart aches. “That’s Venom.” If keeping Venom means staying here forever- he’s okay with that.

**_Eddie-_ **

“Eddie,” Ms Ruby leans forwards, her eyes soft. “Do you know how many people I’ve met who have voices like yours?”

 _None like me_.

“I don’t think anyone does.” Eddie shrugs.

“Oh, more than you think. People have all sorts of ways of dealing with the world. They talk to voices, they see themselves as entirely new people, they have little ticks and habits that anyone would think are weird. Do you know what’s different about those people, and the people in here?”

Eddie shakes his head, he’s feeling too adrift, too alone-

 _Never alone_.

“They are happy.” She shrugs. “They can work and live and have complete, happy lives. And I think you, Eddie, can manage that now.”

“With Venom?”

“If he makes you happy.”

Eddie closes his eyes, “He does.”

“Then you’re just as sane as most people these days."

**Author's Note:**

> If you have some prompts you want filled, please go here: http://skull-bearer.tumblr.com/ask  
> Or at my pillowfort here: https://www.pillowfort.io/Skull_Bearer


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